Justice League Aspirations: DCAU Series Part 25
by Loki's Son
Summary: The Justice League Unlimited are wanted criminals. Lex Luthor is the Global Police Advisor to the United Nations. And Per Degaton has arrived from Earth-9 to challenge Luthor for global domination. The JLU is going to need all the help they can get.
1. Chapter 1

23

 **Legal Disclaimer: First off, I do not own the Justice League or associated characters. They are the sole property of DC Comics, a publishing imprint of DC Entertainment and co-owner of the DCAU with Warner Animation. Which in turn is a subsidiary of Warner Entertainment. Both DC and Warner have Time Warner as their parent company. Does anyone remember when it was AOL Time Warner? Or even when America Online was a happening thing?**

 **But in addition, several other legal disclaimers have to be addressed. The Mighty Crusaders and associated characters were licensed by DC on two separate occasions. The first was in the Nineties and they were incorporated to the specially created Impact Universe. Then between 2009-2010, they were licensed again and brought into the DCU. But the property holder is Archie Comics and the characters and the various titles are being published by Archie Comics once again.**

 **Next up is the Fighting American, owned by the Joe Simon and Jack Kirby estates. Also licensed by DC in the Nineties but currently being published by Titan.**

 **Then comes the Open Source characters of April Amazing, Vicenhammer, Volkssturm and Prof. Poison. The Black Cat is Public Domain after Harvey Comics failed to renew the copyright. Baroness Blood is also a Public Domain character. The THUNDER Agents, Bulleteer, Minute-Man, and Yankee Girl all went Public Domain as well despite DC briefly publishing a Bulleteer miniseries. Quality and Fawcett Comics were also purchased by DC and many characters went public domain. I have resurrected a number of them.**

 **Finally, Jenny Elsewhere is an Open Source character but her creator insists upon their own legal disclaimer provided here** :

 **"The character of Jenny Elsewhere and associated characters is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Elsewhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed."**

 **While most of her adventures, as well as her various artistic interpretations, are under copyright to their respective creators, the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use.**

 **Thus, every legal entity that I can recall is addressed. If I missed a publishing entity I apologize and offer them up in this disclaimer as well. I derive no reimbursement, profit, or even condolences for writing this series. It is purely an effort of love on my part.**

* * *

Colonel Steve Trevor of ARGUS directed the shutdown of the Hall of Justice. The United Nations had declared the Justice League Unlimited an illegal organization. And the World Court had indicted them for war crimes and issued arrest warrants for each JLer. Supposed eyewitness testimony to genocide and mass murders in Corto Maltese perpetrated by Justice League had reached the World Court shortly after Luthor's installment as the Global Policy Advisor.

Additionally, the Justice League was being blamed for the deaths of Ruby Ryder and half a dozen of her security detail. Deaths that occurred after UN security organs attacked Three Towers in Gotham City. Though oddly it seemed, Ruby and her personnel had been gunned down rather than killed through meta-human gifts matching known JLers' abilities. Even Batman was included in the charges despite his current lack of affiliation with the JLU.

Luthor had coerced United States President Olivia McKay into enforcing these warrants inside the US. So McKay tasked Amanda Waller with enforcing them. Which brought ARGUS to the Hall of Justice. Only to find every network and server destroyed beyond repair. And a mass exodus of Ops personnel headed for the tarmac behind the building.

An exodus guarded by Trevor himself and the current Wonder Woman, the Amazon named Artemis. And they were headed for the Invisible Jet which had its engines winding up. Aboard it, Penny O'Brien, Plastic Man, and Hula Hula had prepped the modified bomber for lift off.

"Don't do this, Steve," Waller advised Trevor.

He had a prototype assault rifle aimed at the advancing ARGUS agents. Beside him, Artemis had her hybrid recurve-compound bow drawn and ready to fire. With it she could put an arrow through three agents lined up, body armor and all. Waller halted the advance because she was worried for her less capable agents.

"We're not the criminals here," Trevor warned Waller.

"Then why act like ones?" Waller asked.

"McKay can't afford not to throw us under Luthor's bus, or you wouldn't be here," Trevor spoke.

Waller knew Trevor was too smart for his own good. She'd known it when she'd run him in Team 7 and later with the Justice League of America, so she tried one last argument.

"You can't hide forever," Waller warned them.

"We don't intend to," Artemis did her own advising.

Waller realized the Amazon was the instability in this scenario. So she let them go and contacted other installations.

"Montauk Point, I want them tracked," Waller ordered.

" _There's reason the jet's called '_ invisible _', Director,"_ the administrator of the Montauk Point Facility reminded Waller.

"She still has a tracker built aboard her," Waller grated.

" _And Penny O'Brien disabled it her first day as its pilot,"_ the administrator snorted.

Waller's reply violated FCC regulations and ARGUS air traffic protocols.

* * *

Twelve hours later, an entirely different assemblage had broken the locks sealing the Hall of Justice. Overman boasted of the New Reichsmen's accomplishment, "This facility, though crude, should prove useful, _Mein Fuhrer_. The fact that it previously served as the headquarters to the decadent Justice League should only prove useful for National Socialist propaganda."

"Excellent work," Per Degaton lauded him, "Satan Girl has acquired foodstuffs and tonight we celebrate. But I have a separate task for Overgirl. She shall join the festivities _after_ she locates the elusive Fourth Reich. Their members have escaped custody here in the United States. Satan Girl has determined their whereabouts and Overgirl shall be my emissary to deliver an olive branch so that we might unify Nazi efforts on this planet."

"You've done research while we rooted out this base of operations," Leatherwing spoke for the others, "Tell us why Hitler failed to secure victory on this Earth."

"Vandal Savage usurped Hitler's power in the later stages of the war effort. He cryogenically froze the _Fuhrer_ and unleashed demonically advanced war machines on the Allied fronts. Only the self same intervention by those recently identified as the Justice League defeated Savage and caused the German High Command to release Hitler to embark on his end game," Degaton described the historical record, "But being betrayed by Savage unhinged _der Fuhrer_ and he descended into madness and led the Axis into the ground. Shortly after Germany's defeat, Japan was afflicted with dual detonations of the first atomic weapons and they too surrendered."

"Was Atlantis allied with the Axis powers, as on our Earth?" Underwaterman asked.

"No, Atlantis hid from the war and remained neutral. But your doppelganger here rules Atlantis and recently marched on the surface world. Presumably, you could persuade him to do so again only allied with us this time," Degaton suggested.

"And my fellow shield maidens?" Brunhilde asked, "Did Wotan dispatch the Valkyrie to assist Hitler's war effort?"

"Briefly while Hitler still possessed the Spear of Destiny. But in doing so, Hitler and the Brunhilda of this world led the formation of the first masked avenger assemblage that became known as the Justice Society of America. A forerunner of later assemblies of mystery men and women," Degaton answered, "When the spear was stolen from Hitler and returned to the Hapsburgs in Austria, Wotan, who is better known as Odin in this reality, forsook Hitler deeming him a weakling."

"And Mars?" the Martian inquired.

"Here too the Green Martians were annihilated by the White Martians. But on this world the White Martians invaded. This caused the Justice League to form up to repel them and they remained together through a Thanagarian invasion until the present day," Degaton explained, "They counted a Green Martian named J'onn Jonzz as a member until he also died. There is still a Martian active on this planet. She is named M'gann M'orzz and she is known as Miss Martian."

The Martian scowled even deeper than usual. The accentuation of M'gann's name was not placed in the customary syllables as a Green Martian's. Rather, her name sounded vaguely White Martian. But Martian customs in the Prime Universe could have differed as greatly as Hitler's personal history.

"Are there any other speedsters on this world?" Blitzen asked. Though Ukrainian by birth, Blitzen had been raised in the National Socialist system that dominated Earth-10. So much so, she struggled to conform to Aryan ideals.

"There are several speedsters on this planet," Degaton confirmed, "There have been three men called the Flash alone. One has died saving this world. The other belongs to the revived Justice Society and was an original founding member of the first. The other has not been seen in weeks. There was a man named Johnny Quick and his daughter, Jesse, now fights in his name. There are the criminals known as Zoom, the Reverse Flash, and Rival. All of who are arch nemeses of a Flash. There is also a Russian woman that deems herself worthy of being called 'Lady Flash'. And finally there is Baroness Blitzkrieg, who belongs to our kindred known as the Fourth Reich."

"But none like me?" Blitzen was disappointed.

"The Baroness comes closest. But there was a woman called 'Trajectory' who was endowed with her speed through a process similar to that used by Luthor Corp to grant you your gift," Degaton explained, "Here, LexCorp created a program called the Everyman Project to harness gen factors. Trajectory was just one among equals."

"And otherwise we all have doppelgangers on this world?" Overman inquired.

"To a degree or two," Degaton informed them, "Some of these 'Justice League' types even interfered on my world prior to the United States capitulating to me and thereby ending the Second World War."

"And Grail chose you alone to save from among the population of your Earth?" Leatherwing tread carefully.

"She allowed me to choose one loyal servant. Naturally I chose Satan Girl," Degaton chose to leave them ignorant regarding Jenna Quick or Baron Blitzkrieg. They'd be meeting the Prime Baron soon enough.

"But who is Satan Girl? What is she?" the Martian inquired, "Her mind is unnaturally close to me."

"She is named Kara Zor-El. She is Kryptonian like Overman but she is possessed by powerful demonic forces that she in turn worships and obeys. And they augment her natural physical gifts as well as add supernaturally derived ones as well," Degaton told them.

"And does Overgirl have a counterpart?" Overman asked defensively.

"There are no natural human-Kryptonian hybrids on this planet," Degaton explained, "But that doesn't mean Superman is bereft of children. He has a daughter conceived with an alien empress. And rumors have it he fathered a child with an Amazonian demigoddess."

Both Overman and Brunhilde bristled. Degaton decided to add to the answer, "There were two others as well. A child of a Kryptonian colony called Argo named here as Supergirl and her adult clone named Galatea. Supergirl has vanished seemingly for good and Galatea has adopted the guise of Power Girl. She may be the most dangerous person on this Earth. Present company excluded, of course."

"This _schwein_ called Superman has a duty to reproduce. Why hasn't he mated with human women?" Overman was appalled.

"Perhaps for the very same reasons you only successfully reared one child. Perhaps the mothers have all died in childbearing and the infants died afterwards," Degaton theorized, "And you must all remember, there is no Fatherland in this brave new world. Here post-war Germany united with the Allies against the Red Menace of the Soviet Union. And the Soviets were also crushed not by force of arms but by the weight of economics. The Western world feels invincible."

"But the Fatherland _shall_ rise again and I will secure this Odin's support," Brunhilde declared before vanishing.

"May she find success," the Martian intoned.

"We have no equals on this Earth but we do have rivals," Degaton thought of the Fourth Reich and the woman called Blackstar, "And we have competitors in the form of Grail's pets from Angor. The Extremists to not seek conquest. They seek only devastation."

"We'll crush them when the time is right," Underwaterman promised.

"I have no doubts but first the Extremists can bleed this world's heroes dry," Degaton decided for them, "And then we shall crush any and all opposition."

" _Sieg heil_!" The New Reichsmen said as one. Satan Girl just smirked in response as Degaton basked in the adulation.

* * *

"That glass eye is ridiculous," Baron Blitzkrieg advised Captain Nazi from the Fourth Reich secret hideaway in Bonn, Germany.

"No more than your mask," Captain Nazi sneered.

"We're the senior members of the Fourth Reich," Baron Blitzkrieg snapped back, "We need to set an example in all things."

"Some of us are far more senior than others," Captain Nazi sniffed.

"And you forget my power brought us to this place while you moaned and whined about the loss of your eye," Baron Blitzkrieg advised him.

"And the effort nearly killed you," Captain Nazi sneered, "You've spent the last two days barely able to hobble about. Do us a favor, old man, just die and get it over with so we can finally have some peace."

Baron's Blitzkrieg's hand wrapped around Captain Nazi's throat faster than Nazi could see and he was propelled into the wall, "Only the memory of the regard and esteem the _Fuhrer_ held you in has kept us from this moment, _Mein Kapitan_."

"Do it if you still can," Captain Nazi managed to gasp.

Baron Blitzkrieg heard scuffle at the end of the hall and he turned his head to look. Captain Murder held Madame Libertine at bay. Baroness Blitzkrieg gave her great-grandfather a nod of approval. The newest members were more reticent to side with one or the other. The Hun obviously saw an opportunity to assume leadership. Baroness Blood disdained weakness so if Captain Nazi couldn't save himself he deserved to die. The new Baron Gestapo and Dr. Demon looked horrified but unwilling to assist or deter.

But everyone was morbidly curious as to why Baron Blitzkrieg delayed in killing his foe. The truth was he could hold Captain Nazi there for hours but he couldn't muster the necessary strength to kill Captain Nazi. And Captain Nazi knew it.

So Baron Blitzkrieg released him and waited to see what would be the result. Captain Nazi whispered to him, "I won't share your secret if you play along."

"We'll see," Baron Blitzkrieg allowed.

"My friends, the Baron and I were merely testing one another to insure we're back to full strength for our next mission."

"I say we strike at the _Juden_ vermin where they reside," the Hun proclaimed.

"Israel or America?" Madame Libertine knew more Jews lived in the United States than any other place on Earth. Israel included.

"America. It is soft and decadent," Hun decided, "It is weak and ready to be destroyed."

"Yet there are over two million pigs in Palestine these days," Baron Gestapo, the younger, announced.

"They differentiate between _Juden_ and Arabic Palestinians these days," Baroness Blood told him.

"It's nice to see your hours on the Internet were spent on actual research and not just bestiality porn," Baroness Blitzkrieg derided her.

"You could use a good humping from a Rottweiler yourself," Baroness Blood mocked her.

"I would hate to infringe on your personal pastimes," Baroness Blitzkrieg said scornfully. Baroness Blood had been one of Hitler's ace _Luftwaffe_ pilots and behind the lines operatives before the war came to a close. Whereupon the Nazi scientist that turned Albrecht Krieger into the Majestic-level Captain Nazi also subjected Ilsa Appeler to the process before inducting her into cryostasis where she'd recently been found in eastern Germany. Just as the Hun revealed his longevity had preserved him hale and hearty into the 21st Century.

Of fifty selected _super-soldaten_ , only the Baroness revived. And found her powers were half of those enjoyed by Captain Nazi and Madame Libertine. Or even the failed experiment called Captain Murder.

"Stop this useless bickering," Baron Blitzkrieg snapped at the two Baronesses, "We have enemies enough without turning on each other."

Captain Nazi gave him a small, smug smile. The accord was struck. But neither yet knew the extent of their bargain.

"Let us gather in the banquet hall where the servants have prepared a fine meal," Captain Nazi ushered them, "I will join you there shortly."

When the others had gone, he slammed Dr. Demon against a wall and roughly jammed his tongue into her mouth in his version of a kiss. Dr. Demon half teasingly pushed him away, "Now _Kapitan_ , is that any way to treat your _Doktor_?"

"When will my new eye be ready?" Captain Nazi asked…again, "Until it's ready I shall simply have to grope to see you."

"You wanted an eye made from your own tissues. That takes delicacy and time," Dr. Demon reminded him…again, "I could have a synthetic in place tonight."

"You know how I feel about machines?" Captain Nazi sneered.

"And what about me?" Dr. Demon rightly took offense.

"You're still woman in all the ways that count," Captain Nazi leered at her.

"I'll choose to think you are referring to my mind, you letch," Dr. Demon scowled, "My vagina is off limits until later tonight."

And the cyborg known as Dr. Demon strolled away to maintain appearances despite the fact every Nazi there, including the servants, knew they were bedding together even though they spent a great deal of time sneaking from one bedroom to the other.

The front of the lodge flew off their hinges to reveal Overgirl. Captain Nazi's libido went into overdrive to see such a healthy Aryan _fraulein_ standing in the doorway. He felt the construction in his pants and decide he didn't care if it was obvious to everyone including Dr. Demon. He was a former SS officer with a sworn duty to procreate.

Overgirl spoke in German, "Greetings, you don't know me but I know of each of you. The Thousand Year Reich is about to actually and finally be born on this world. The only question is whether you will serve _der Fuhrer_ and rule beneath him or simply serve and die amongst the mongrels."

"Who are you and how dare you, a woman, wear the sacred crest of the _Waffen-SS_ on your chest?" Captain Nazi asked in English since Baron Gestapo, Dr. Demon, Madame Libertine, Captain Murder, and Possibly Baroness Blitzkrieg didn't speak the Holy Mother Tongue of Germany.

"I am called Overgirl. I am the daughter of Overman and a chosen _frau_ destined to carry his child. I am here on behalf of Per Degaton and the New Reichsmen," Overgirl declared.

"Who is this Degaton?" the Hun demanded to know.

"Degaton is Hitler's one true heir," Overgirl said happily, "He is here now and this world will be trampled under his boot. The New Reichsmen will be his vanguard and so can the Fourth Reich."

"Do you really have proof of any of your ridiculous claims?" Baroness Blood mocked her.

"Send an emissary back with me," Overgirl offered, "They can meet with the true _Fuhrer_ and bring National Socialism to fruition on this Earth."

"Very well, we'll parlay," Captain Nazi pretended to think it over, "Hun, you'll travel with me."

"What is your mode of transportation?" Hun asked Overgirl.

"I flew here at over three hundred kilometers an hour. I don't require machines to fly," Overgirl sniffed.

"It seems you are staying after all," Captain Nazi chuckled having shown up the Hun's limitations as planned.

Baron Blitzkrieg inwardly seethed. But Captain Nazi and the Hun had been rivals back in the day and it seemed they would remain so. At least the haughty Baroness Blood had mellowed somewhat.

" _Herr Kapitan_ , why not take Captain Murder with you?" Baron Blitzkrieg could easily make the journey but he'd already been snubbed, "Just in case it's a trap."

Captain Nazi was unhappy but he blustered through it, "Come, Captain Murder. Let us show up these pretenders."

"Where are we going?" Captain Murder asked Overgirl.

"We have taken the so-called 'Hall of Justice' and are reclaiming it as the international Hall of National Socialism," Overgirl announced.

Captain Nazi belatedly began to rethink showing up Degaton.

* * *

Penny O'Brien and Zinda Blake wore insulated coveralls despite having taxied their aircraft into the hangar. The Justice League's base in Antarctica had been basically abandoned for years now. But maintenance crews still inspected on a quarterly basis. And few manhunts were conducted in Antarctica.

"Funny, the lights are on," Green Lantern said as he opened the hangar door leading into the base.

"And it's heated," Shayera Hol remarked.

"It's always heated to keep the equipment from freezing up," Trevor told them, "And the lights are motion activated."

"Then they should have been off until they detected me," John Stewart clarified, "But they were already on."

General Glory was already down the hallway and held a fist up as he whispered back, "There's voices up ahead."

"No one should be here for another two months," Trevor chambered his rifle.

"When are Barda and Supes gonna get here?" Gypsy whispered to Vibe.

"He's got a day job and the Atom will be along later today. Ray Palmer has to show up at Palmer Tech once in a while to prove he's still alive."

"He's _that_ Ray Palmer?" Gypsy threatened to yelp.

"Just like I'm a Tyler from TylerChem," Hourman told her.

"How do you think we afford a house in the `burbs?" Jesse Quick hobbled around on crutches.

John and Power Ring made parabolic dishes with their rings complete with speakers at their end. General Glory helped Jessica Cruz guide her dish in towards the intruders and John followed her lead while hanging further back as a second line of defense.

"Can you make out what they're saying yet?" Trevor asked.

"No, we're still too far away. But whoever it is, is arguing with themselves," John realized.

"Have General Glory and Jessica go further in," Trevor instructed.

"It seems the unexpected is prevalent wherever you go," Wonder Woman observed.

"Tosh, Baker Island would have been an isolated incident except for these lugs crashing our soiree," Anna Fortune quipped.

"As flippant as ever," Atom Smasher chuckled.

"Alas, you know me too well, love," Anna winked at him.

"I know one of those voices," Shayera shushed everyone, "It's Dr. Mist."

"And the French woman must be Belphegor," John understood the implication.

"Gypsy, you and Plas scout ahead. Jessica and General Glory will have your backs," Trevor instructed.

Plastic Man went into an air duct and Gypsy apparently vanished from sight but she still cast a shadow.

* * *

"Max Lord appointed me administrator of this Justice League branch. Your own president approved of the arrangement," Dr. Mist continued his argument with Molotov of the People's Heroes.

" _Da_ , President Medvedev approved but Prime Minister Putin has not. It must be unanimous to register as fact," Molotov retorted.

"There has to be an accommodation," Belphegor insisted.

"Accommodations, bah!" Molotov literally spat, "The Soviet Union made accommodations and collapsed under its own weight. The Russian Federation will accommodate no one. Appoint one of the many Russians in this room leader and we will all follow."

"Ah, ah," Pravda warned Belphegor, "I can block your psionic ability with my own."

"This is pointless," Major Disaster complained, "Can't we just get along long enough to do our job?"

"Apparently not," Killer Frost scowled.

" _Tovarishch_ , we came here to further our nation's interest. Not to take over this branch of the Justice League.," Red Star advised his countrymen and woman.

"You are nothing but Medvedev's western lackey on this assemblage," Hammer accused.

"But you are good in bed," Sickle allowed.

Everyone stared at her until Bolshoi interrupted, "The American Disaster is right. This is pointless."

Major Disaster coughed once, "That's _Major_ Disaster."

"Let's not forget we are among international criminals," Dr. Valentina Vostok pointed out. Killer Frost and Major Disaster looked pained. Col. Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova, a fellow Russian known as Lady Flash, flushed in the cheeks.

"And you bunch have a helluva lot of explaining to do regarding your own activities in North Korea and Iran," Owlwoman threw it back at the Russians.

"Enough!" Dr. Mist roared in an unnaturally loud voice. Big Sir began to bawl while Mist continued, "I'm the only one of us that has overseen an United Nations level team before. Not once but twice. That alone makes me overqualified for the administrative post."

"Two _failed_ teams," Molotov laughed.

"Neither the Global Guardians nor the Justice League International failed," Belphegor unrevised history, "They were simply sidelined in favor of the Justice League Unlimited."

"Who proved to be criminals themselves," Pravda snorted.

"Before we get into any major dick swinging, can I remind everyone our purpose is to go into international hotpots the JLU can't get permission to intervene in? We get the dirty jobs the JLU is too prissy to handle themselves," Killer Frost spoke up, "Especially since they're lurking in this room?"

"What?" Molotov roared.

The clump of Gypsy running in boots could be heard fleeing the room. General Glory spoke up, "Neat trick."

"I'm literally a heat vampire so the kid's heat signature was like a flare going off," Killer Frost revealed.

Plastic Man oozed into the room. Power Ring came in as Dr. Mist said, "Reveal yourselves."

As the Justice League Unlimited met the Justice League Antarctica, tensions mounted between certain members. Captain Cold fingered his cold gun, "I don't believe it. The UN puts a billion dollar bounty on their heads and they just waltz in here."

"I say we collect," Golden Glider chose.

"A billion dollars hard currency would go far in the great Motherland," Molotov mused.

"Even if we gave Putin a kickback," Pravda agreed.

"Who says we're collecting," Owlwoman revealed her talons and Jack O'Lantern's namesake lantern ignited.

"Control your people, Mist," Molotov demanded, "Or we'll turn them in as well."

"Mr. Lord would want to us to comply with United Nations directives," Divine stated.

"Why does she look like a dark haired Galatea?" John asked his wife.

"Because she's a partial Argoan clone blended with human DNA just like Superboy," Shayera told him.

"I can hear you," Divine fumed.

Belphegor tried to catch a telepathic clue from Dr. Mist. But Pravda's smirk told her where the interference was coming from.

"Oh, to hell with it," Killer Frost froze the Justice League where they stood.

"Quit stepping on my toes," Captain Cold complained.

"Puh-lease. Like that thermal suit means anything to me," and Killer Frost froze him to a far lesser degree.

"Put them in the holding cells," Molotov commanded.

Red Star and Big Sir volunteered. Divine held back while Major Disaster went to supervise Big Sir. Killer Frost excused herself from the revived pissing contest. Lady Flash went with her. Marian Drew and Tefe Holland just left without a word. No one but Mist knew why they or Insect Queen were members anyway.

* * *

As the debate resumed, Owlwoman, Jack, Knight, and the Squire also slipped free. So Valentina chose to follow to see what exactly was up. Killer Frost intercepted her when she found the JLers lined up abreast of each other.

"Go ahead. Thaw them out," Killer Frost said nonchalantly like she'd always expected Valentina to do so.

"You knew I would," Valentina was surprised.

"I'd guessed," Killer Frost told her, "I'm a very good guesser and an even better survivor."

"Wenonah, make certain we're not interrupted," Killer Frost requested. Owlwoman led Jack, Knight, and Squire to guarding the hallway, "Christina, we need the teleporter primed and ready."

Lady Flash darted off. Killer Frost turned to Valentine, "All yours, Colonel."

Valentina ignited with fusion powered fire and she thawed the JLers. Killer Frost made the announcements while Marian and Tefe stayed in the shadows to act as bodyguards should the Justice League hold a grudge.

"Listen up if you want to live," Killer Frost said without preamble.

"Are you threatening us?" Trevor asked irritably.

"Quite the contrary, Colonel. I'm trying to get you out alive," Killer Frost told them all.

"What's going on here?" Hula Hula had to ask.

"The inaugural meeting of the Justice League Antarctica," Valentina explained.

"The what?" Trevor's head hurt.

"A neutrally located United Nations team with a mandate to undertake missions deemed too sensitive for the JLU," Valentina described it.

"Think too militant," Lady Flash said in a burst of static electricity as she arrived, "The teleporter is ready."

"Or think of it as servicing countries that would sooner blow themselves up than accept aid from the JLU," Neo Joker revealed herself. Tefe accompanied Marian.

"Um…are you supposed to be Harley Quinn?" Atom Smasher asked.

Neo Joker growled low in her throat and Tefe warned him, "She hates when people ask that."

"Are Superman and Big Barda joining you here?" Killer Frost asked.

"They haven't arrived yet?" Penny was alarmed.

"Neither has the Atom," Valentina confirmed.

"I wonder why," Trevor admitted.

"If you can warn them off it'll save everyone a lot of trouble," Killer Frost advised him.

"How did any of this begin?" Shayera asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Max Lord must've seen this coming," Major Disaster brought Big Sir back to meet his favorite JLers, "He invited most of us before Dr. Mist and some of the others had that fiasco on Baker Island. But Luthor knew it too because he assembled a 'Justice League Task Force' personally loyal to him before Max created the new JLA. I heard you met some of the task force members on Corto Maltese."

"Back before people died," John interrupted.

"But your loyalty is to Max, not the UN," Jesse guessed.

"Hardly," Major Disaster scoffed, "Most of us are independent operators who thought we could do some good and redeem ourselves. Then there are the opportunists, like Captain Cold and Golden Glider along with most of our Russian friends it seems. But there are those that put Max before all other concerns."

"Meaning Divine," Killer Frost clarified.

"Does Dr. Hamilton know she was created using Supergirl's DNA?" Trevor glanced at Matrix, "The _other_ Supergirl that is."

"I rather doubt it," Valentina answered, "Max secured nearly all of the last vestiges of Kara In-Ze's DNA but it wasn't enough to yield a full developed clone. Hence the hybridization and in a rare irony, since Luthor's DNA had been successfully fused with Argon genetic samples to create Superboy, Max did the same to produce Divine. Luthor also obtained the remaining genetic material and used the Bizarro process to yield enough DNA to fuse with human material in order to create two other super beings. The first was a genetic grafting into a corpse that became Bizarro Girl and the second was into a live host and she is now called Superior Girl. I wish I could explain how it all worked but I'm a physicist not a geneticist."

"You've been plenty helpful," Plastic Man promised her.

"Both attempts, and the perfected process used to create a Bizarro out of Lois Lane, created Majestic-level meta-humans," Owlwoman said as she returned to the area, "This show needs to get underway."

"Just what the world needed most," Vibe groused.

"Cisco!" Gypsy scolded.

"What?" Cisco Ramone protested, truly perplexed by the nature of his indiscretion.

"Whatever occurred top side, the meeting has broken up and the Russians are coming," Owlwoman advised them.

"Sounds like a bad movie from the Fifties," General Glory remarked.

"They'll be on us `fore Ah can get the Invisible Jet runnin' from a cold start," Penny warned them.

"Who needs a jet?" Jessica's Ring of Volthoom flared to life.

"Even if we got to the hangar undetected," Zinda warned everyone.

"That part is the easiest bit," Killer Frost assured them, "Lady Flash will get you to the surface. Your job is to get safely away before you freeze in the Antarctic winter."

"You up for this?" John asked Jessica.

"Like I have a choice," she ruefully remarked.

* * *

John didn't envy Power Ring. His will power controlled his Green Lantern ring. She had to use will power to beat her ring into submission. And she used it to force the ring crafted by Volthoom into doing what she wanted. In many ways, John realized, Jessica utilized greater will power on a daily basis than most Green Lanterns.

Hal Jordan, John himself, Kyle Rayner, and even Guy Gardner had displayed the Ultimate Will at times. Jessica lived there. Only Alan Scott dwelt there with her on a permanent basis. And Alan had only been a Green Lantern in name only and had never been part of the Lantern Corps. Kyle and Guy were also no longer Green Lanterns. Kyle had mastered the emotional spectrum and been found worthy of being a White Lantern. Kara had joined him after proving the same.

Guy had been stripped of his GL ring by the Guardians during the fits of their insanity yet undiscovered. He'd stolen Sinestro's original yellow power ring until Sinestro abandoned the Green Lantern Corps yet again and reclaimed his yellow power ring. Guy's rage had attracted a red power ring and it chose him for a time before Guy went to the Fear Lodge and officially joined the Fear Lanterns.

Jessica alone was the sole Power Ring Corpsman left in existence. Something Hal knew and had instructed John not to reveal to her just yet. The Power Ring Corps had died defending Volthoom from the Anti Monitor and even the First Lantern was dead. The sole Ring of Volthoom left in existence barely struggled against Jessica these days. But it did speak to her when it needed recharging from a victim's fear. And criminals were deliciously fearful beasts.

Jessica herself was immune to its appetites. That had been a direct result of her gaining independence from it. And she tempered its appetites so that it no longer drained the life forces completely out of its prey. But every Lantern Corps except for the Star Sapphires and Blue Lanterns wanted the Ring of Volthoom to study it. Atrocitus and Sinestro in particular wanted to dissect the ring's power. Larfleeze just wanted it as a trophy especially now that it was the only one left.

Lady Flash led the JLers outside. It was springtime in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Arctic Circle. So the weather in Antarctica was increasingly devastating to the human body. No matter how exceptional it was. It could kill a protected human in minutes rather than hours.

Green Lantern and Power Ring created warm environments to shelter the JLers as Lady Flash resealed the headquarters. Inside, Owlwoman distracted the People's Heroes with Dr. Mist's quiet assistance. As the JLU escaped, they saw Killer Frost coating the Invisible Jet and the X-35B-2 with ice to deter people from prying into their secrets.

In the air, Jesse broke the lingering silence, "I can't believe Killer Frost of all people arranged for our escape."

"I agree," Hourman was equally confounded.

"She `tis a changed woman. The loss of her beloved Godiva split her heart in twain and sent her on a path of righteousness," Sir Justin spoke aloud.

"That's what you've been touting about Goldilocks too," Zinda retorted.

"And both are changed women," General Glory broke the argument's back, "I think we can all agree on that. The shades and degrees of change may be difficult to gauge. But they both seem to honestly want to redeem themselves. Human body parts found in rooms notwithstanding. We don't know the full story there."

* * *

In John's construct, Trevor had contacted Superman and directed him to divert to a secondary location. Hula Hula was warning off Ray Palmer.

"Where are we headed?" John asked his navigator.

"Eagle's Aerie," Shayera told him, "It was a joint base of both ARGUS and the MLJ Initiative to be used in the advent of a national emergency."

"You're really taking your new role seriously," John commented.

"When have I ever taken my duties less than?" Shayera was miffed, "I'm pregnant and have a broken wing. I'm not brain dead."

"Hey, I never implied you were," John told her, "I'm just impressed by the fact my wife is running the show and being pretty damn sexy doing it."

"I run the show beside Steve and Hula," Shayera said modestly.

"I've watched you manage both of them," John chuckled.

"Maybe more with Hula Hula," Shayera admitted, "I still miss Sue."

Ralph and Sue Dibney had "retired" to take care of their daughter, Alyssa, full time. Of course, on Sue's budget, that meant a lot of world travelling where the Elongated Man could still poke his nose into trouble. They were spending the spring and most of summer in Denmark while taking tours of Eastern Europe. Sue's usual fortunes as a bestselling mystery novelist and heiress made for an easy lifestyle that could indulge Ralph's inability to stay out of trouble.

* * *

"Change of plan," Superman warned Barda, whom he bridal carried since her hover discs weren't fast enough to keep up. She was rather enjoying it. Scott Free could barely get her off of the ground much less carry her anywhere.

But still, Kal-El wasn't a New God from either Apokolips or New Genesis despite his power. But Precious had proven that Kryptonians could impregnate New Gods. She was carrying Lord Superman's child. And Mala had conceived a dozen times with Superman as her captive partner. So he was fertile.

Clark Kent was a naïve idealist but Scott had been one as well despite being raised on Apokolips. He'd convinced her to escape with him to Earth where he had become Mr. Miracle. And they had been mostly blissfully married until he died.

But grief was a rare emotion for a former Female Fury. And she didn't want to wallow in it any longer. It wasn't befitting to Scott to end her emotional life when he would want her to carry it on. Her undefined relationship with Superman was utterly brand new and mysterious and heart wrenchingly familiar all at the same time. She loved all aspects of it.

After Superman abruptly altered course, she managed to ask, "Problems?"

"The Antarctic base is occupied by a UN team calling themselves a Justice League," he explained, "Trevor is rerouting us to a shared base with something called the MLJ."

"Won't ARGUS detect us?" Barda asked.

"According to Trevor, ARGUS has pulled all investment or claim to the base now that they have to share it," Superman revealed, "So the question will simply be what would this MLJ do if they detect us."

"Waller can't be trusted. She reminds me of Steppenwolf," Barda assessed.

Superman had to admit there were similarities between the ARGUS Director and Darkseid's commander-in-chief. Especially the fact they both hated to lose, "We'll see her Suicide Squad coming."

"Using condemned prisoners with a false hope of freedom is an Apokoliptan tactic," Barda confided.

"Waller doesn't serve Darkseid. Luthor ostensibly does," Superman reminded her.

"Luthor only serves Luthor and the same is true of Waller," Barda said disdainfully, "Even her own leader can't trust her."

Superman didn't like the implications.

* * *

"So you see, the original proposal to create the Justice League of America went along similar lines as the Meta-Human Response Division's mandate. The previous administration was quite concerned over the intentions and actions of the Justice League Unlimited once they became a United Nations security organ and the United States had no direct control over them," King Faraday briefed Gwen Cormaugh and Eve Eden.

Gwen was the Director-in-Charge of Task Force X and Eve Eden was both Faraday's protégé and the supernatural force known as Nightshade.

"And Waller sidelined us in order to freely facilitate personnel transfers to Gen. Lane's division. Transfers she knew we'd investigate and see they were illegal," Gwen stated. Once a constable from Cardiff, always a constable from Cardiff.

"Officially Task Force X has been taken off line because the program is dangerously close to being discovered by Congressional oversight," Faraday corrected her.

"Read between the lines," Gwen snorted, "Your bullshit detector works fine against the enemy. You just haven't realized yet who the enemy really is in this scenario."

"I think you're overreacting," Faraday grimaced, "Waller is guilty of impropriety but none of us are innocent on that score."

"I think you're _under-_ reacting," Eve chided her mentor, "Waller wouldn't be burying these transfer papers if she felt they would hold water in the light of day. Or that her recipient of these illegal transfers would bear scrutiny."

"You may or may not be right but for now, Task Force X is derailed and in no position to do anything regarding any potentially illegal actions," Faraday warned them.

"Let's examine a few facts. The Department of Defense blacklisted Lane's program and shuttered it. Then the DOD issued an arrest warrant on Sam Lane himself. Yet everyone has found that they're still operational and moving between covert DOD assets," Eve recited the facts, "Now they have reclaimed Fort Siegel and are operating in the open with the DOD presumably unaware and unwilling to investigate. And ARGUS is adding to the problem. Sound about right?"

"And Waller is transferring assets that were deemed too unstable even for the Suicide Squad," Gwen pointed out, "Officially the DOD incarcerated the Crusaders and never transferred them to ARGUS' control. Yet they were and are now with Lane."

Faraday had dealt fairly with Gwen and Eve hoping to throw them off of the scent, "I advise you, no, I implore you to take this through the legal chain of command."

"Waller _is_ the chain of command," Gwen said derisively, "How effective do you expect that effort to be?"

"She will terminate everyone in this program if you move unilaterally against her," Faraday warned them.

"Um…I saw the door was open," June Moone was rubbing her neck, "Is there a reason the Wall would kill everyone?"

"Reason with them if you can,:" an exasperated Faraday pleaded.

Then he pushed past June to exit the office. She watched him go with some confusion, "I know I'm new here but he seems…off."

"How is Col. Flagg?" Gwen asked.

June blushed bright crimson, "Um…how would I know?"

"You're wearing his boxers," Eve pointed out, "Not to mention his hoodie sweatshirt. Unless you're in the habit of wearing tents."

"He doesn't want anyone to know," June sighed.

"Then he shouldn't have been caught snogging you in front of news cameras and the entire Suicide Squad," Gwen scowled.

"Oops?" June offered.

"You're so terrible at this covert operations work," Eve snickered.

"Look I become part of the Enchantress. It's never fully me, I just contribute something to her. I'm vaguely aware of what she does but the witch can asset more control than I can and actually takes over at times," June insisted.

"So you're vaguely aware of Enchantress sleeping with Killer Croc?" Eve asked.

June blushed again, "God, I feel like a voyeur sometimes."

"You may want to make peace with the witch so Enchantress can be around full time," Gwen suggested.

"Because of Luthor and the Justice League?" June asked.

"Justice _Leagues_. You're part of the Justice League Dark just like Eve here and Silver Swan," Gwen replied, "And Luthor is gunning for both."

Enchantress suddenly appeared as June subsumed herself into the dualistic personality, "I understand."

"Then I suggest we get Valerie and warn Zatanna and even Constantine. Lords of Order or Chaos can't break into the House of Mystery but it can be besieged," Eve warned everyone present.

"I'll prep a teleportation spell while you dress as Nightshade and Valerie transforms into the Silver Swan," Enchantress offered.

"You do realize the interior cells have cameras," Gwen guessed.

"No, why?" Enchantress was distracted with her preparations.

"The guards recorded everything between you and Croc," Gwen shared, "And I do mean everything. And they have big mouths. Flagg will find out."

"He's a big boy," Enchantress was dismissive, "June loves Flagg. I don't. Croc is just a pastime until someone better comes along."

"Does he know that?" Gwen inquired.

"He will," Enchantress promised.

"This will complicate things," Gwen promised.

"So?" Enchantress dismissed it out of hand.

* * *

.

"What a load of crap!" Gen. Jack Latham growled as he slammed the phone down as Special Agent Carol Anne Strander entered his offices at Liberty Station.

"I suppose knocking is moot right now?" Carol asked.

"Come in, Carol. We, and every other federal law enforcement agency, just got marching orders from President McKay herself. We're to engage the Justice League if and or when we find them," Latham spat nails.

"Read the letter of the law, President McKay mentioned engaging the Justice but not how. With it unspecified we could engage them in conversation and still obey the spirit of the order," Carol told him.

"Carol, you've become one devious sonuvabitch," Latham congratulated her.

"Despite protesting some gender confusion, I thank you," Carol admitted.

"Now how do we keep Luthor and the United Nations off of our backs?" Latham wondered aloud.

"Send the Web Agency to run point. They don't have the firepower or training to affect an arrest," Carol told him.

"Excellent suggestion," Latham was proud of her, "I'll make it happen."

"The Web Agency is recruiting from other federal agencies. But the core, original Web Hosts are still the best choice for the job," Carol advised him, "They're out at Topeka investigating a UFO crash. But it seems the occupants died in the abortive landing."

"Carry on, Special Agent Strander," Latham dismissed her and thought she would've made a helluva soldier. But she was still a damn fine FBI agent.

* * *

The Mystery Man called Mr. Justice met with the even more mysterious Blackjack in Las Vegas. With them was also gathered the totally enigmatic Marvel.

"Why did you call us together?" Blackjack asked Mr. Justice.

"I didn't. _He_ did," Mr. Justice nodded skyward.

A crow circled them while the _other_ Hangman floated down atop a cloud. They all noted his mask had no eye or breathing holes. This Hangman was blind and saw through the eyes of his crow. And used magic through his mystical Native American medicine bag given to him by the same shaman that granted him sight through his bird.

"We must prepare," Hangman warned them all, "Our friends within the Mighty Crusaders are all in peril. A peril you're equipped to deal with."

"I don't do teams," the Marvel complained.

"And I don't do cosmic," Blackjack advised him, "I stick to Vegas because there's trouble enough here."

"Yet the Fly is dead and your promise to aid him whenever needed lives on in his heirs within the Mighty Crusaders," Hangman warned him, "Spirits do not take it well when their faith has been compromised."

"He has a point," the ghost of Paul Morse known now as Mr. Justice stated while Black jack stared at Hangman, "And we each owe a member of the Mighty Crusaders a karmic debt."

"You have each been chosen by destiny to carry this out," Hangman warned them.

"There's no such thing as fate," the Marvel scoffed.

"Yet tell it to a Lord of Order like Dr. Fate, who single handedly delivered this message to me," Hangman shared.

"And Dr. Fate is the host for a Lord of Order, a higher being we can't begin to comprehend," Mr. Justice counseled the doubters.

"Despite my name and home, I rarely gamble," Blackjack reached a decision, "But I will gamble on people like the Mighty Crusaders and Dr. Fate. If they need our help, who are we to refuse it?"

"Oh, to hell with it already," the Marvel was exasperated, "When do we leave?"

"We already have," Hangman nodded at the towering casinos as they rose to meet their heights. Each of them had a cloud beneath them, "Try not to move around."

"Easier said than done," the Marvel gulped.

Blackjack let a whoop, "This is awesome!"

"Not bad," Mr. Justice agreed, "Actually very impressive."

Beneath his featureless mask, Hangman smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

23

The original Justice League Unlimited had built two hidden reserve bases besides the open facilities once they'd ceded the Metro Tower in Metropolis and the Watchtower space station to the United Nations' International Security Agency. The auxiliary base in Gotham had been found and exploited by the Legion of Doom.

The second auxiliary site had remained undisturbed since it was constructed in secret inside of a factory. The cover story had been that it was being renovated for future work but then it never opened because of a lack of demand for the ostensible product line. While the Hall of Justice was built in Brooklyn to be centrally located between Gotham and Metropolis, the other aux site was located in Pittsburgh.

Oddly enough the city analogous to Pittsburgh on Angor had been the location of the Hall of Champions, the primary headquarters for that world's principle heroes. So Lord Havok and the Eliminators began their search for Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay in that geographic location. Unaware their targets were in Antarctica at another Justice League base.

"The cowards haven't been here," Lord Havok complained, "I thought you said they'd be with a Justice League."

"I said with _the_ Justice League," Dreamslayer wished he had eyes to roll, "And I'm a sorcerer not a prophet. It's only one world. Surely they can't evade us forever."

Death Bat had an idea, "They think of these humans as pets, right?"

"Something akin to it," Dreamslayer confirmed it.

"What would they do if we exterminated an entire city worth of vermin?" Gunshot gleefully picked up Death Bat's line of inquiry.

"It's worth investigating," Gorgon opined.

"Let's begin here in this city," Tracer demanded.

"And why don't we keep this base for ourselves?" Cloudburst asked.

"Smash something?" Brute wanted to know.

"Indeed we shall," Lord Havok agreed, "We'll smash lots of somethings."

* * *

In the Hall of Justice, Degaton was supervising the installation and restoration of server networks and re-enabling information retrieval capabilities. The first assignment had been constructing a worldwide monitoring system using readily available components and information. Degaton was greatly impressed and even more amused at the freedom of information available to him.

"What an interesting world," Degaton mused to the New Reichsmen, "It provides every tool we'll require to bring it to heel."

Overman, Martian, and Leatherwing had located the necessary components and stolen them. Blitzen and Satan Girl had put the system together in minutes rather than hours. Underwaterman had infiltrated a dozen federal agencies and obtained their database software including pass codes. While that was underway, Overgirl brought Captain Nazi and Captain Murder to an audience with Degaton.

Degaton recognized Captain Nazi from his own Earth. But Captain Murder was unique to Earth Prime, or so Degaton believed. It didn't matter now that the multiverse was destroyed. There was only one Earth and one universal reality now.

The Martian nudged the arrogant but weak willed Captain Nazi into accepting every one of Degaton's proposals. All this despite his original reluctance to bow before Degaton. And yet he took a knee and swore an oath of fealty to _der Fuhrer_.

Degaton allowed Overman to test Captain Murder by destroying a Hasidic synagogue. Her enthusiasm had nothing to do with racism. It was simply the opportunity to kill with permission.

As Overgirl returned the new Reichsmen to their base in Bonn, Underwaterman finished installing the database protocols and ciphers. Degaton began perusing classified government files seeking to find each agency's weaknesses and their exploitable vulnerabilities.

The revelations of the human condition sparked Degaton's interest, "These people cry out for a savior and I will become that messiah."

"Such a Jewish concept," Leatherwing spat.

"Such a universal concept," Satan Girl explained, "One entertained by every tribe and tongue on any Earth."

" _Der erste Fuhrer_ used his motivational skills to become savior of the world," Underwaterman recalled.

"And I shall do no less," Degaton vowed, "This people blindly hate our cause despite it being the only truth that will liberate them."

He turned to Overman, "Follow Overgirl and relieve her so she can return to finally rest and partake of the feast we left for her. Monitor this 'Fourth Reich' and note deficiencies in them we can improve upon."

Overman's arm raised in the Nazi salute, " _Jawohl, mein Fuhrer_!"

"Go," Degaton dismissed him.

"And what of me?" Satan Girl asked in a sultry voice.

"I have a singular task for you, my prized disciple. I need you to contact your demons and seek their counsel," Degaton urged her.

"Yes, my Master," Satan Girl bowed before him.

* * *

"And who are you lot?" Dr. Mist asked Threshold.

"We are the Justice League Task Force," the youth answered.

"Luthor's puppets," Dr. Mist dismissed them.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Threshold asked.

"Dr. Mist," he answered.

"Max Lord's puppet," Threshold sneered. "We are registered as the United Nations _only_ Justice League."

"So are we," Dr. Mist informed him.

"Show me to your communications center," Threshold demanded.

"You want to seek your master's assistance, do so from here," Dr. Mist challenged the Gen13 result.

"Bliss, have those Planetary fools look these cretins up," Threshold snapped at his sister.

"Honey works better," Bliss singsonged.

"Your brand of honey kills, sweet sister," Threshold reminded her.

* * *

Half an hour later, Dr. Mist had his answers and he didn't like any of them. The Justice League Antarctica was being provided provisional status awaiting permission from Luthor to exist. News he shared with the others.

"So these imbeciles are legitimate?" Belphegor had trouble believing it.

"Apparently and more so than us," Dr. Mist hated clarifying.

"My government has confirmed it," Molotov was twice as irritable than before.

"We still need to know who tipped them off to our location," Owlwoman advised.

"A witch hunt won't solve anything," Dr. Mist warned her.

"Besides, I alerted them," Divine told them.

'But Max is opposed to Luthor," Owlwoman grated.

"But Max ordered me to hand the JLU over to Luthor if we ever captured them. We did, yet they escaped," Divine explained, "And what better way to throw the enemy off then give them their heart's desire."

Divine wore a sweet smile but her eyes were flinty. Captain Cold broke his silence, "This would've gone down easier if Frosty and Fireworks hadn't let the JLers go. And don't think I'm not looking at you too, Owlbaby."

Owlwoman extended her talons, "Call me that again."

"Wenonah," Dr. Mist growled.

"She's got spunk, Lenny. Let her off with a warning," Gold Glider urged.

"Where are the Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay?" dawning awareness crept into Dr. Mist, "Or even Insect Queen?"

"I'd be more worried about Killer Frost and Vostok being MIA," Captain Cold glared at Major Disaster.

"Neo Joker and Tefe Holland are also missing along with Lady Flash," Belphegor told him, "Every one of them declined your invitation to hear these results."

"Some leader," Molotov guffawed and the People's Heroes laughed at Mist again.

Even Red Star looked ready to tear them apart.

"Send Warmaker One and his squad out to investigate," Dr. Mist instructed.

"And when are the Knight and Squire comin' back from their errand?" Jack O'Lantern inquired.

"When they've finished it," Owlwoman advised. She didn't want to cut the search for Beryl Hutchinson short.

"Wherever our missing comrades are, they're obviously into mischief," Dr. Mist told them all, "The kind of trouble that could provoke an incident."

* * *

Outside, in the seemingly never ending Antarctic snow flurries, Tefe Holland was straining her powers beyond their breaking point. Over the radio she called a general warning, "My control over animal life barely extends to people. So hurry up."

Silver Sorceress was casting a spell to place the Invisible Jet and Zinda's X-35B into a dimensional tesseract where she could retrieve them from anywhere on Earth. Blue Jay guarded her. Neo Joker had the exit propped open so she could see interlopers approaching.

"Luckily I don't think this 'task force' saw us leave in all the confusion of their dick swinging sailor talk," Marian Drew broadcast seeing no one had pursued them yet.

Insect Queen consoled Tefe, "My own control over the insect kingdom is pretty useless on this continent."

"Yeah my powers over plant life might as well be tits up here," Tefe was in obvious pain now.

"Hopefully it won't take Laura much longer," Insect Queen wished, "But Killer Frost and Valentina have the harder task."

"Tell me about what Earth-2 was like," Tefe pleaded, "Anything to take my mind off of the pain."

"First I have to explain who the Justice Lords were," Insect Queen told her, "Because everything about our dual histories was pretty much identical until they came to power. And it'll explain why we need to closely monitor the Justice League Unlimited."

* * *

Further afield, climbing into a LexCorp troop air transport, LexCorp because it had been stolen before the rebranding of LexCorp into Mercy Corp, Killer Frost and Valentina Vostok began an inspection of the aircraft. The three Planetary representatives were in a fugue state thanks to Tefe.

"I don't think Tefe can manage this much longer," Killer Frost advised Valentina, "So let's just get what we're after."

"I'm a physicist not a spy," Valentina protested.

"Not anymore. Now you're a Firestorm and whatever else we need," Killer Frost warned her.

"There were stories about you in Russia," Valentina hesitated, "It is said you are a lesbian."

"It is said correctly," Killer Frost rummaged through racks of cargo, "And you're not. So is there a real question here?"

"You know this?" Valentina was surprised.

"I make pretty damn fine assessments based on meticulous observations," Killer Frost touted, "And you've been drooling over Red Star and Major Disaster."

"I am uncertain as to what to say," Valentina shared.

"Then don't say anything," Killer Frost offered a solution, "I just expect the same privacy rights."

"Of course," Valentina pledged.

"Can I call you something other than 'Col. Vostok'? Because that's too tight assed for you," Killer Frost opined.

"As you know, my given name is Valentina," Vostok replied.

"I'll call you 'Val' for short," Killer Frost decided, "They're coming to, which means Tefe's slipping. We need to hurry."

"Is this what you're looking for?" Valentina had found a safe bolted to the fuselage.

"Yup," Killer Frost confirmed it, "Now open it."

" _Chto vy imeyete v vidu_?" Valentina asked.

"I mean, use your powers and open the safe so we can copy and then steal the original of what we're after," Killer Frost reiterated.

"You speak Russian?" Valentina was shocked.

"Not really. I dated a Russian model and she always asked that before things got kinky," Killer Frost explained.

Val ignited with nuclear fire and phased the door to the safe off of its hinges. Killer Frost pulled the encrypted mobile phone out of the safe and handed it to Valentina, "Make an exact copy."

And she did so and Killer Frost replaced the phone into the safe. Valentina used her power to reattach the door. And then they both scrambled out of the plane. Seeing the pair clear the aircraft and get around the corner of the building past her, Tefe released the Planetary group. And promptly passed out whereupon Insect Queen caught her and dragged her out of sight.

* * *

"Someone is coming!" Neo Joker announced.

Blue Jay shrank to bird size and flew into the opening. Marian watched him flutter at the end of the corridor and return straightaway. Marian Drew had been an investment banker until the Joker rejected Harley Quinn and on Earth-2 they never reconciled. Marian took Harley's place and originally played dumb but eventually transformed herself into the Joker's disciple.

So when the Justice Lords began murdering criminals and lobotomizing those they spared, the harsh reality snapped the Joker's mind back into the realm of sanity. And, remorseful for his crimes, he became the trustee at Arkham. He even earned a position of trust from the Justice Lords.

But Marian became the Neo Joker and eventually found her way into Batman's Resistance movement. She was a revolutionary at night and an investment banker during the day. All until a wave of antimatter consumed her universe and became one of several dimensional refugees on Earth Prime.

When the Justice Lords turned to Darkseid to further clamp down on their Earth, Neo Joker framed dozens of crimes fitting the Joker's _modus operandi_ and the Justice Lords were beside themselves because witnesses were around the Joker at Arkham when the crimes occurred. The idea of a copycat only occurred to Hawkgirl and her peers silenced her.

Neo Joker ran afoul of James Gordon Jr. after arriving in Gotham. He'd lost an eye after confronting her. And she supplied the clues that allowed Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon the evidence needed to incarcerate her brother. If she ever caught him.

"Warmaker One and his stooges are coming this way," Blue Jay warned as the planes vanished.

"We need an exit," Killer Frost demanded of Silver Sorceress.

"I can do it but I don't know where we'll reappear at," Silver Sorceress warned them all.

"Just do it," Insect Queen and Neo Joker propped up Tefe.

Warmaker One and his squad exited to run into the Planetary Group.

"We need to talk," Jakita Wagner advised Warmaker One. Some very unhappy words were exchanged.

* * *

Steve Trevor coded in the lock to gain access to Eagle's Aerie, "ARGUS ceded this base entirely over to the MLJ Initiative. The MLJ is still setting up shop and taking account of assets inherited from previous agencies. The confusion was added to by an executive order creating a new federal agency under the MLJ banner."

"That doesn't mean this 'MLJ' won't come after us as well," Barda cautioned everyone.

"Jack Latham is good people," Trevor informed them, "He left the Department of Defense to run the MLJ which is built around a super team called the Mighty Crusaders."

"Like the American Crusaders in the Eighties," Jesse Quick hobbled into the building with her crutches.

"The very same," Trevor was pleased she knew the history, "There's even a new Shield of America simply dubbed the Shield."

"The Justice Society recently worked beside some of these 'Mighty Crusaders'," Hourman shared, "They had good things to say about them. And the team held Los Angeles together while Saturn Queen was making life hell across the globe."

"The whole scenario in Los Angeles was intended as a trap to kill the Mighty Crusaders before they could really get off the ground. Individually they've each built up a rogue's gallery already. Together they've united those same rogues," Shayera had read the interagency briefs Trevor was referencing from.

"The press can't laud these Mighty Crusaders enough after their actions in LA and Summit, Colorado," Superman had even written some of the reports as Clark Kent, ace reporter of the superhero beat, "A think tank had been running leadership seminars but they got hijacked and used to proselytize terrorism as a problem solving tool."

"A mercenary outfit provided security and enough firepower to level a small country," Hula Hula had also gleamed info from the briefings.

"Do these cowards have a name?" Artemis asked.

"The company is named 'Meridian' after the code name of its founder. No one has ever seen her undisguised face and lived," Trevor told her.

"A formidable opponent then," Wonder Woman approved.

"One who deals in conventional arms and methods but not strategy. She supports terror causes across the globe and provides security to legitimate enterprises and insurers but no one has ever fathomed her motives," Shayera added to the discussion.

"The goal is simply to render terror to herald in the next Age of Chaos," Anna Fortune broke her silence, "It's become quite a fad amongst the spiritually minded."

"Would the Lords of Order allow it?" Atom Smasher had to wonder.

"Humanity chooses the epoch," Anna informed them all, "The rival lords merely harken to the call."

"That bodes ill," the normally effusive Plastic Man warned.

"Ah just want this to be over with so Ah can go back to mah son again," Penny pressed in close to Plastic Man and he held her tight, "Mah mom is watchin' out for him but he can be a handful."

"A regular bouncing baby boy," Plas said proudly.

"An' he can get to be a bit much even for us," Penny didn't envy her mother's plight.

"We'll straighten this all out," Superman promised, "And we begin that journey by discovering what's happened while we were running."

"Ops Center is this way," Trevor guided them, "The lights are motion activated and they stay on until shut down manually."

"Efficient," General Glory approved.

"Art thou well?" Shining Knight inquired of Green Lantern and Power Ring.

"Just tired," John Stewart admitted.

"My ring is docile for once," Jessica Cruz added, "Which means the trip took a toll."

"I shall prepare libations that shall restore thy soul," Sir Justin promised and began exploring.

"Does he even know how to prep anything?" Jessica asked John.

"He's adaptable and Tessa and Goldilocks began showing him around a modern kitchen," John assured her, "Just beware the coffee he brews. He's a firm believer that the more grounds he uses, the better it is."

"So beware the last cup especially," Shayera Hol advised, "And you're lagging behind."

"God forgive me because my wife won't," John chuckled.

"I wonder who you could be talking about," Shayera retorted.

"Well, we can't break up a happy marriage by dawdling," Jessica added to the general good humor.

John appreciated and even liked Jessica but he'd be damned before he surrendered his power ring to her.

* * *

Hula Hula got the operations center up and running with some technical assistance from Vibe and Hourman with Atom Smasher directing the effort. The bank of monitors hubbed around a central screen that was three times larger than any other. Each screen displayed a world event gathered from official and public sources. And any screen's feed could be transferred to the main one.

"There!" Superman was suddenly standing before a small screen, "Bring this up."

It displayed the destruction the Extremists were raining down upon Pittsburgh. No one debated Superman when he stated that the Justice League was duty bound to intervene on the crisis. The debates focused on _how_ to intervene and the _means_ of travel.

"This facility is equipped with a mass teleportation system plugged into the shared ARGUS and MLJ teleportation networks," Trevor solved one problem. The clock was ticking on the solution to the other perceived difficulty.

* * *

The Extremists literally rained chaos down upon the citizens of Pittsburgh. Cloudburst had developed a hurricane-like system offshore and moved it inland to hammer away at the residents within Pittsburgh's metro area. The huge electrical storm shut down the power grid as the winds tore down cables and power lines. The tumultuous rains threatened flooding.

Lord Havok led the rampage. His nearly Kryptonian strength and armored skin left the local law enforcement vastly outmatched. In nearby Fawcett City, Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman pleaded with Shazam to intervene. Shazam merely pointed them towards Mary Batson, who seemed willfully ignorant of their plight.

Brute was well named. Potentially stronger than Lord Havok, Brute was equally invulnerable and his durability was enhanced by a healing factor only outmatched by Tracer's. Lord Havok wielded a double edged battle axe with energy projection capabilities. Brute relied upon his massive fists.

Death Angel was the Extremist's sole alien member. She was the only one amongst its ranks from the Prime Universe. She'd been delighted to discover her native Tamaran did not exist in Angor's pocket universe. She'd giddily joined the Extremist's efforts to crush all opposition on Angor, inadvertently killing every living thing, plants and animals included.

The Assemblers, the Meta Militia, and the Champions of Angor had all fallen before the Extremists. All save three Champions: Wandjina, Silver Sorceress, and Blue Jay had escaped and now the Extremists knew where to. They wouldn't rest until their work was completed.

Death Angel's claws were fearsome enough but they secreted a poison that made the victim die in agony. Tracer and Brute were the only ones immune to her touch. Tracer's animalistic senses and healing factor made him the ultimate tracker. And his Amazonium laced bones and forearm claws were unbreakable. Tracer had killed countless people and only had one remaining desire to be found in the Prime Universe. He vowed to kill the "Main Man" himself and usurp Lobo's reputation for his own.

Dr. Diehard controlled magnetic fields and had the power to fly atop them. He was a mutate and a leader of a mutate supremacy movement. Unfortunately for him, all of Angor's mutates had died in the toxic combination of the nuclear, chemical, biological and pollutant accidents and outbreaks the Extremists had caused in their battles to destroy Angor's superheroes. And from what Dr. Diehard had learned of Earth, there were no genetic mutates but instead there was a gen factor population that could be activated to create meta-humans. But in keeping with his code, Dr. Diehard still had little use for average humans.

Gorgon had cybernetically enhanced himself so that his sparse hair grew in thick coils. And each coil hid a steel cable. He could control the prehensile cables to rend, tear, and destroy. Gunshot was the team's taciturn weapons expert and designer. Lord Havok's axe was an example of his work. But Gunshot himself preferred traditional firearms and ballistic munitions. He kept his silence while he committed mass atrocities.

Meanstreak created psionic spikes and blades that inflicted agonizing pain. She also doubled as the team's interrogator. Death Bat had a bat-like appearance and actually controlled bats and vermin. He could spew infernal flames from his fingertips as he rode an unnaturally large bat he'd named Chiroptera.

Dreamslayer was the group's master sorcerer and illusionist. He'd appeared on Angor exiled from a nightmare reality. He'd spotted Lord Havok's hatred and molded it to his own purposes. Angor had been his embodiment of a hellish landscape realized. And now he saw Earth the same way. Although Lord Havok led the Extremists, everyone knew Dreamslayer was the strategist behind every campaign.

Carny had remained behind at JL-Pittsburgh. The robot had been designed as the leader of Wacky World's animatronics, but his programming had been corrupted and he transformed the amusement park into a murder machine. Having redesigned the theme park into a lethal obstacle course, he'd reprogrammed every AI animatronic into a counterpart for his own murderous designs.

But there wasn't anyone to kill on Angor anymore. So Carny had travelled to Earth with the Extremists. And he was sculpting the Justice League base into his new Wacky World.

* * *

Degaton prepared to receive the Fourth Reich as Overman returned ahead of them. But Brunhilde also returned from Asgard with a disparaging report, "Odin will not join in a conflict on Earth. In fact, the Asgardians have withdrawn from the mortal plane. They have abandoned the Nine Realms to return to Hell rather than face the ire of the Lords of Order."

"And the Wotan of this Earth?" Degaton inquired.

"Entrapped by the Lord of Order called Nabu. On Midgard he calls himself Dr. Fate," Brunhilde reported.

"I have heard of this Fate in my research," Degaton pondered it, "It seems the Lords of Order personally defend Earth Prime whereas they abandoned the multiverse."

"My brethren will not aid us," Brunhilde declared.

"Yet you remain," Degaton pointed out.

"I am loyal, if not wholly to you, then to Hitler's vision of a human master race," Brunhilde told him.

"And that dream will become the reality it was on my Earth," Degaton promised.

"If it does, I shall be wholly yours," Brunhilde intimated a far deeper relationship.

And Degaton could see the advantages of a sexual union with a demigoddess, "Summon this 'Fourth Reich' and let me discover why they have repetitively failed to achieve Hitler's goals."

Satan Girl moved to happily comply.

"You have come to offer your services?" Degaton asked in the briefing theater where he met the Fourth Reich.

"You're already dead," Baron Blitzkrieg was amused, "I saw you die in 1949."

"Perhaps on _this_ Earth. On my Earth I was the Supreme Chancellor and Holy _Fuhrer_ of the Thousand Year Reich," Degaton proudly informed them all.

"If your world was such a National Socialist paradise why did you leave it?" Baron Gestapo asked the question hanging in the room, "And why did the New Reichsmen leave theirs?"

"A cataclysm of indescribable power whittled the infinite multiverse down to a single universe. _This_ universe. As our worlds faced destruction, an ally of the power behind that cataclysmic finality offered us a chance to conquer this world and eventually this universe," Degaton explained.

"Who is this 'ally'?" the Hun inquired sharply, "And who is this 'Power'?"

"The ally is named Grail and she is Darkseid's wayward daughter and his ultimate demise," Degaton informed them, "And the power is called the Anti Monitor."

"Why do you speak this 'Darkseid's' name with such trepidation?" Baroness Blood demanded to know.

"Darkseid is the ultimate evil in the material realm," Degaton explained further, "He leads a faction of the New Gods from the planet Apokolips. They dwell in a dimension known as the Fourth World. On my world, Darkseid offered me support in exchange for leading his forces against the few pockets of resistance left on my planet, crudely labeled Earth-9."

"Then if this 'ultimate evil' would ally with you, you have proven your merit. Why would we refuse to work with you?" Baroness Blitzkrieg asked her fellow Reichers.

"Why indeed?" Captain Nazi cast his remaining eye upon Baron Blitzkrieg, "We have no objections. Or at least none with any merit."

Degaton clapped his hands together, "Excellent. Now, we have so much to accomplish together."

* * *

Blitzen handled contacting the major television and radio networks based out of NYC. When she'd finished announcing Degaton's upcoming press conference, she was even winded. But she complied with Degaton's instructions and immediately returned to the Hall of Justice.

The Martian did the same for the BBC's news outlets. But before he could be pestered with futile questions, he turned invisible and departed. Then he went to the Canadians and did the same. The Australians and New Zealanders learned through osmosis.

Underwaterman contacted CNN and the Atlanta based news networks. Then, using his Atlantean derived swimming strengths, he sped through the waters to traverse the East Coast and utilized the Erie Canal to reach the Great Lakes and eventually arrive at Chicago to deliver the news to WGN.

Leatherwing personally informed Angelica Blaze, the President and CEO of Galaxy Broadcasting. Blaze was thrilled by the prospect, "I only hope your own doppelganger attends as well. Imagine the ratings extravaganza. I'll contact the Daily Planet on your behalf. Perry White will enjoy scooping Metropolis' other papers. And then Bruce Wayne will be forced to accept my offer for the paper."

"As you will," Leatherwing ducked out.

* * *

Blaze contacted her secretary, "Ms. Wootenhoffer, cancel all of my appointments and enjoy my lunch when it arrives. Inform the Black Seven officers to meet me on the roof and business attire will be appropriate."

Ms. Wootenhoffer checked on her boss later but Blaze had vanished without exiting her office. Wootenhoffer assumed Blaze had a hidden elevator. Blissfully unaware that her employer was half demon and had means at her disposal beyond human reckoning. Or that the foursome from Black Seven considered tactical gear "business attire".

* * *

Satan Girl delivered dual messages to the United Nations in Paris. The first was for the UN leadership. The second was for Luthor. The address to the General Assembly went as she'd expected.

"Nazis? You can't be for real?" a delegate scoffed.

His face was burned off by her heat vision, "Deadly serious. We have the might and as you know, that makes us right."

"You said you had a second message as well," the Secretary-General tried not to gag at the smell of roasted flesh.

"To Luthor we simply say, stand aside or die," Satan Girl proclaimed, "There will be no further warnings. But _der Fuhrer_ will be holding a press conference at the Hall of National Socialism in two days time."

"The what?" a delegate managed to ask.

"You mistakenly called it the Hall of Justice," Satan Girl flew out of the room at super speed after that proclamation. But she could very well imagine the reaction to that bit of news.

* * *

The Legion intelligentsia gathered in the Legion of Doom's base beneath the Trans Noble Equity building in Bludhaven. Of course, Arvell Hauser, Dr. Sivana, Mr. Mind, Professor Ivo, Thinker, Dr. Clarissa Clemens, Candace Zither, Blackstarr, and Ivana Baiul all attended via holographic projection. Each was in their secret lairs, labs, or their very public offices. Only the Ultra-Humanite and Luthor himself attended in person.

The Other, the remaining member of the Intelligentsia, was committed to a task befitting the two survivors from the Crime Syndicate. Dr. Clemens' protégé, Casey Krinsky, was also devoted to a personal matter at the time. But the major networks were now reporting a Flash-like speedster, a mysterious Green Martian, and a rogue Atlantean with Aquaman pretensions. But Luthor knew they were from other Earths.

"It seems my overglorified position is being threatened," Luthor knew every member present, whether in person or by remote, knew the details of Satan Girl's announcement. "I'm tasking the Legion of Doom with ferreting out these Nazis and bringing me their exalted leader. I'm leaving it to you, the brain trust, to devise a method of eliminating them should our muscle's brute force tactics fail to do so."

"Heh heh heh, with every flatfoot chasing the Justice League, I was afraid I'd get bored and complacent," Sivana chuckled.

"We all did," Mr. Mind's synthesized voice clarified.

"Mr. Hauser and Director Zither, I leave it to you to deal with Gen. Latham, his MLJ and specifically the Mighty Crusaders who have proven they can be troublesome."

"My development teams have already been approached by the Brain Emperor. His organization and allies will prove to be the perfect proxies," Hauser gloated.

"And my contractors are getting lazy during this relative calm before the storm we'll bring," Zither added.

"Then let's be about our businesses, shall we?" Luthor said. As expected Blackstarr's image lingered, "Humanite, will you excuse us?"

"Of course," the Ultra-Humanite was as polite as ever but his curiosity gnawed at him.

* * *

The wedding day of Dick Grayson and Ulla Paske had finally arrived. And Ulla's family from both above and below the sea attended. Barbra Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, Leslie Thompkins, Tim Drake and Tim's guardian, Grayle Hudson, were also in attendance. But Bruce Wayne abstained. Even Dick's teammates from his Titans days were absent. Donna Troy was patrolling the stars with the Darkstars. Wally West was fomenting a revolution on Apokolips. And Roy Harper was now a wanted criminal. That didn't leave many attendees on the groom's behalf.

Alfred also served as the best man. Dick had wanted Barbara to do the honors but she'd flatly refused to buck tradition. She'd also been afraid of Ulla's reaction but Ulla had actually pleaded with Barb to reconsider. Ulla had opted to simply go with a maid of honor rather than have bridesmaids with no counterparts.

But Ulla had also had difficulties. She'd wanted Wenonah Littlebird as her maid of honor but Owlwoman had simply vanished. And Dorcas Leigh was dead so Godiva couldn't serve the role. Goldilocks had also vanished so she couldn't fill in. Matrix was on the run, as Supergirl, as was Gypsy. So she'd finally recruited Claire Montgomery, who was also trying to recruit Dick and Ulla for a new side project Claire had been developing.

"Look at their complacency," the Other spat while keeping a low profile, "We could kill them and everyone else before they could respond or raise an alarm."

"You mean _I_ could," Blackwing corrected him. The Richard Grayson of Earth-3 kept an even lower profile than his Alfred Pennyworth, "And they believe they're a family."

"You had a weakness for Barbara Gordon's flesh as well," the Other reminded Blackwing.

"And I still killed her when she threatened my position in the Court of Owls," the former Talon replied.

"And she was your lover at the time," Atomica snickered.

"It was kinder than the fate Superwoman had in store for her because of her dalliances with Owlman," Blackwing recalled knowing Thomas Wayne Jr. had been called Lincoln March on this world.

"From what Owlgirl told me, you could share a little weakness with me anytime, baby," Atomica lustfully offered. She'd felt deprived since Johnny Quick's death.

"Hush, we're drawing attention," the Other hissed, "I suggest we adjourn and plan hostilities for a later date."

"Okay," Atomica cheerily agreed.

"How did my doppelganger ever choose… _her_?" Blackwing was incredulous.

"She has a poorly named alter ego as well," the Other explained, "As the Little Mermaid, Ulla Paske had been coerced by the Crimson Queen to join the Legion of Doom. And she seduced and kidnapped Dick Grayson."

"Hey, I'm all about seduction," Atomica heavily hinted at.

"That part was honest but she broke the compulsion after she delivered Grayson to the Legion of Doom and later chose to liberate Grayson. And ever since they've been a couple," the Other reported.

"Is she really a mermaid?" Atomica was skeptical.

"Yes, she is," the Other confirmed it, "She's half-Atlantean with all the prerequisite gifts that implies with an added mutation that grants her the ability to fly."

"So they screw underwater," Atomica ventured.

"In salt water she has a tail," the Other sniffed.

"Mackerel lover," Atomica taunted Blackwing.

* * *

In the Green Mountains, along the Finger Lakes, geographically located in southern Vermont, Silver Sorceress deposited the JLA…and promptly passed out. But the abundance of flora and fauna revived Tefe. She did her best to accelerate healing within the Silver Sorceress but her prognosis was grim, "She's broken inside."

"She's injured?" Insect Queen was alarmed.

"No, more like something is missing," Tefe told them.

"The White emotional spectrum," Blue Jay revealed, "Laura had been chosen as a champion of Life but she squandered the gift. One of several that we abused after coming here."

"But now at least we have this," Killer Frost displayed the stolen phone. Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern had devised the plan with Killer Frost and Valentina's help.

"Are we certain we shouldn't have alerted someone as to our destination?" Lady Flash asked.

"Pravda will comb everyone's minds," Val warned them, "It's better that no one knew."

"So why are you behind this scheme?" Insect Queen asked Killer Frost.

"Because I fell in love with a woman that saw more in me than I saw myself," Killer Frost answered, "I just want to prove she was right."

"Was she part of Mist's previous teams?" Valentina asked.

"She was. Dorcas Leigh was Godiva, a founding member of the Global Guardians and later the Justice League International. She died fighting the Legion of Super Villains and I couldn't save her," Killer Frost still showed regret over that.

"Didn't Godiva have a younger sister with identical powers?" Lady Flash asked.

"Goldilocks is a waste of space," Killer Frost said icily, "The less said the better."

"Insect Queen is overlooking modifying the phone," Tefe reported, "She also has the local bug population scouting for spies and deterring unwanted visitors."

"She says her scarab amulet gives her her powers," Valentina recalled, "But the FSB and MVD have nothing on her. She doesn't exist in Russian files."

"She would on Earth-2," Killer Frost downgraded the mystery.

"The multiverse theory?" Val groaned, "The Russian Science Directorate has proven time travel and other dimensional parallel worlds do not exist."

"Explain away Saturn Queen," Killer Frost challenged her, "And once you've seen multiple copies of Superman, you begin to believe."

"Who is she though?" Valentina demanded to know.

"It couldn't hurt to tell her," Lady Flash shrugged.

"She's Earth-2's Lana Lang," Killer Frost told her.

"The fashion designer?" Valentina's skepticism came back full force.

"She was a certified electronics and electrical engineer on her world," Killer Frost shared, "If anyone can make the necessary modifications, it's Lana."

"Ladies, Lana is ready to begin," Neo Joker announced.

* * *

Day use cabins had been erected along the trails lacing the Green Mountains. They had well water, outhouses, and fire pits but no amenities or electricity. They discovered Insect Queen was modifying circuitry using her bioelectric "stings".

"I summoned some game animals," Tefe revealed, "I also sense some edible plants in the vicinity. I'll get to work butchering them if I can get someone help."

"I can provide implements," Valentina readily chose the task for herself, "I used to butcher game on my family's farm in Ukraine. After the Soviet Union disbanded and Ukraine was no longer affiliated with Russia, I was no longer allowed to see my grandparents."

"It'll come back to you," Tefe promised as they left.

"So, how's our soon to be designated leader?" Marian asked Killer Frost.

"What?" Killer Frost was horrified by the idea, "No!"

'You're a natural," Neo Joker assured her, "I'm only interested if something psychotic is required. Tefe is equally uninterested. Christina here is suffering from the early stages of withdrawals. I've seen my share."

"We should consult with Blue Jay and Silver Sorceress before finalizing anything," Killer Frost tried another dodge.

"I doubt the Sorceress will care _if_ she recovers. Valentina is definitely on your side. And Blue Jay only cares about the Silver Sorceress. They strike me as the types that will follow anyone they deem qualified. And you've gotten us this far," Neo Joker told her.

"And Insect Queen?" Killer Frost asked, "How will she vote?"

"She's preoccupied with the Justice League. Understandable given the history of our Earth," Neo Joker shrugged.

"Lana's preoccupied with survival. I can respect that," Killer Frost allowed.

"She keeps referring to Power Girl as though she knows her," Lady Flask remarked, "But she's from a different Earth."

"We had a Power Girl before you did," Marian Drew explained, "She died saving the world. Your Galatea became Power Girl to honor ours' memory. But only after becoming the greatest hero our world has ever known."

"So Galatea went to Earth-2," Lady Flash shuddered from her body's reaction to withdrawing from Velocity-9, "What did she do to become such a great 'hero'?"

"She killed Lord Superman," Neo Joker bluntly answered.

"I knew I liked her," Killer Frost snickered.

"We're going to need funds for our rogue operation," Neo Joker predicted, "Fortunately I know where this Earth's Marian Drew stashes her off the books earnings."

"She embezzles?" Killer Frost wondered.

"She launders drug money," Neo Joker explained.

"Just make certain the transactions can't be traced," Killer Frost advised, "Even Dr, Mist can't know where we are."

"And Max Lord?" Neo Joker asked.

" _Especially_ Max Lord," Killer Frost scowled.

"Somehow I think _Commissar_ Lord already knows," Lady Flash started mildly convulsing.

Neither Killer Frost nor Neo Joker disagreed.

* * *

Latham was assembling the Mighty Crusaders to dispatch them to Pittsburgh, "I've warned off the Justice Society from making an appearance. Despite their legal standing with the DEO as law enforcement agents, President McKay has temporarily suspended the MLJ's recognition of their status because Luthor has ordered the JSA to arrest the Justice League Unlimited and they'll compromise themselves refusing that order. Unfortunately we don't know where the JLU is to warn them off as well."

"Why would we?" Web asked, "They're wanted fugitives. Better to make brownie points with Luthor and let the JLU fight it out in the courts."

"You can't honestly believe they are condemned already," Shield was dismayed.

"I believe what I read, Flag Boy," Web's suit generated holographic web pages, "The Web Agents have been given orders to kill the JLers on sight by Director Waller."

"Except 'your' agents work for me rather then either you or Waller," _Director_ Latham advised Web, "And they'll obey President McKay's orders as relayed by me or they'll be universally imprisoned for life this time."

"You're all a bunch of pussies," Web sneered.

War Eagle flashed her talons, "Be careful of whom you accuse."

"You're the biggest loudmouthed pussy of all," Web challenged her.

Fly Girl blocked War Eagle's path while Fox and Shield caught Web's answering charge. Web continued taunting War Eagle, "Hiding behind a skirt?"

Fly Girl aimed a buzz gun at his face, "Totally give me a reason."

"You won't shoot. I'm your _teammate_ ," Web mocked her.

He heard the _clack_ of a shotgun being chambered. He turned to stare down the barrel of Black Hood's weapon while all the other Mighty Crusaders got out of the line of fire. Web flinched.

"Tell me how it is someone who has an internet help line and decides on cases to take based on opinion polls can think they're so tough?" Black Hood inquired, "Call me names and see what it gets you."

Black Hood wasn't mocking Web. But he was determined to carry out his implied threat. Latham intervened.

"Now, if everyone is prepared to listen," Latham began to say as Carol summoned a security detail, "Everyone prepare for teleportation _except_ the Web."

"I don't need you all anyway," Web spat as he headed for the teleporter.

"That machine is locked down to suspended agents. One of which is you. Find a traditional door and use it," Latham instructed.

Web swore revenge in his heart for the perceived indignity.

"No one has files on these individuals in Pittsburgh or what drew them there," Latham quickly explained, "Special Agent Strander will accompany you as your law enforcement liaison. KitCat and Kenny Wisdom will run point on your support team here."

"They need to plug into local assets on the ground and get us intel on how our opponents respond to threats," Shield told Latham.

" _On it,"_ Kenny's voice came over the room's intercom.

"Gah!" Fly Girl yelped, "I hate it when he does that."

" _It's the first time I've done it,"_ Kenny replied.

"And I hate it already," Fly Girl retorted.

"Good luck, team. And God speed," Latham offered before the teleporter relocated the Mighty Crusaders. Then Latham moved off to join KitCat and Kenny in Liberty Station's Ops Center.

* * *

The Justice League was determined to intervene in Pittsburgh. And they'd determined how to do so. Eagle's Aerie was plugged into the joint ARGUS-MLJ teleporter network so transportation wasn't an issue. Superman had just reminded Hula Hula, Penny, and Zinda that they'd been tasked with remaining behind.

"Col. Trevor, that applies to you as well," Superman reiterated.

"You need me to liaise with the locals," Trevor protested.

"We need you _here_ gathering intelligence we couldn't obtain otherwise," Shayera stressed, "I'll be the liaison."

"And _when_ ARGUS arrives, not _if_ , they will arrest you on sight." John reminded Trevor.

"Steve, you've proven your valor many times over," Wonder Woman consoled him, "But this time your mind is needed here rather than on the battlefield. Find the secrets we need to destroy our enemies."

" _Defeat_ them, Artemis," Superman corrected her, "There's a distinction."

Trevor winked at the Amazon and it defused her temper. Barda whispered to Artemis, "You spoke true."

"Penny, you and Zinda just volunteered for surveillance duty," Trevor decided to roll with his assigned duty.

"Yes, suh," Penny was eager with Plas' life on the line.

"Steve, I need to be in Seattle," Zinda warned him.

"Can I ask why?" Trevor wondered.

"I'm getting some off the books help to fight off the books villains," Zinda explained as far as she was prepared to.

"Won't they be warned off as well as the JSA?" Hula Hula asked.

"No one tells these ladies what to do," Zinda promised him.

* * *

The newly created Web Agency's senior agents were exclusively former Web Hosts, funded and equipped by John Raymond. The agency was now based in Yuma, Arizona precisely because no one would think to look there for them. John was secretly the billionaire industrialist who also acted as the Web. And while the agents recruited from the FBI, Homeland Security, DEA, ATF, and major police departments such as the LAPD, NYPD, and GCPD trained to meet the exacting standards the Web Hosts had established as independents and now sanctioned as MLJ protocol; the original agents met with their benefactor.

"Look, not that I'm not grateful to be let off of the hook from these bogus missions, but what gives?" Karen "Buster" Thomas asked. Buster was the field leader.

"Where is Belle Reve?" Web asked her, "Rowdy" Yates, and "Rad" Stiles. The three Web Hosts that had been imprisoned there.

"We don't have a clue," Buster admitted, "It's in a swamp and it's somewhere within a few hours' range of New Orleans. But we all signed a nondisclosure agreement."

"Screw Waller and her backdoor deals," Web snarled, "I'm talking about bringing down the effing Justice League and grabbing all the glory that entails."

They all thought Web was frothing at the mouth a bit. And they collectively wondered if the Web had lost his ever luvin' mind.


	3. Chapter 3

23

The Mighty Crusaders teleported in behind police barricades. Special Agent Carol Anne Strander immediately got in contact with the coalition of law enforcement agencies coordinating with the National Guard response. Meanwhile back at Liberty Station, KitCat and Kenny Wisdom tuned into local CCTV and communications as well as accessing the NRO satellite feeds.

Carol flashed her badges and credentials, one FBI and the other MLJ, "I'm here to liaise between the Mighty Crusaders and local authority. I need to know where the bad guys are and what needs the most protection."

The local Police Chief, Tim Burton, was derisive, "I saw the medals the President pinned on your cape and cowls. Think they've got the balls to stand up to this threat?"

"They can," Carol assured him, "With your help, Chief Burton. My team isn't here for a glory ride or to showboat. They're here to save lives and protect property."

Burton was surprised a fed had learned his name. He'd met dozens of them since this began and not one of them could remember his name even after a personal introduction. Everyone assumed he was a damn movie director.

"We'll give you everything we've got. Which isn't much by now," Burton warned her.

"Anything will help," Carol promised, "And we have our own nifty bag of tricks."

"I like the sound of that," Burton admitted.

* * *

In the field, the Mighty Crusaders randomly met with the Extremists. For the Shield that meant an encounter with Lord Havok. A being who was amused by Shield's patriotic armor.

"What are you supposed to be?" Lord Havok sneered.

"I'm a symbol. A symbol sent to stop you," Shield answered.

"You?" Lord Havok mocked him, "Are you with the Justice League?"

"No," Shield answered simply.

"Then don't waste my time any further," Lord Havok dismissed him, "Now get out of my way or die like the rest."

"I guess you'll have to try to kill me," Shield stated.

"Ah, the pup has bark but does it have fangs?" Lord Havok mused. He fired a plasma bolt into Shield's chest, but Shield's armor withstood the blast.

Lord Havok was irked and threw the axe against Shield's breastplate. The axe blade shattered and the second was sheared off when Shield snapped it off, "Are we done yet?"

"Hmm…good trick," Lord Havok allowed, "And as for being done, we've barely begun."

* * *

Fox had geared up for this battle. He began by throwing a handful of _shuriken_ at Gorgon. But Gorgon's coils plucked each throwing star out of the air.

Fox pulled his _nunchucks_ from the holster on his legs and attacked Gorgon. But the prehensile hair/cable coils disarmed him. So Fox wielded his most fearsome weapon. He unsheathed his _katana_ and prepared to open a barber shop.

Fox began by severing two coils from Gorgon's head. The corpulent villain shrieked in pain. But the hair and cables regrew at a phenomenal rate thanks to the nanites lacing Gorgon's tissues using his own flab as fuel.

Fox finally realized the only way to win was to take the monster's head off. But coils grabbed his wrists and ankles. And yet another wrestled his sword out from his hand.

"Pretty sword," Gorgon remarked, "And sharp too. Have they ever heard of _seppuku_ on this planet? Or did these Nipponese skip all of that?"

Fox now knew the Extremists weren't from Earth Prime.

* * *

Fly Girl flew all around Meanstreak blasting away with her buzz guns. In response, Meanstreak crafted two psionic swords and swatted away the electrostatic discharges. Next, Meanstreak created a psionic spear.

Unfortunately for Fly Girl, her "erratic" flight pattern became predictable. She hovered in place for a few seconds too long and was speared. Her scream nearly tore her throat out.

As Fly Girl spasmed on the ground, Meanstreak gloated, "Keep it coming, baby. I want to hear you scream until you die."

* * *

Gunshot was shooting down helicopters and UAVs. News copters or police copters alike fell before him, literally. Black Hood sheltered behind a police cruiser and unslung his .50 caliber sniper rifle. He used his biped to support the barrel as he stretched the rifle across the wrecked police cruiser hood. Using the scope, Black Hood aimed center mass and fired.

But even the depleted uranium, tungsten coated bullet slamming into Gunshot's armor only knocked him several feet back. To Black Hood's utter surprise, Gunshot unsteadily rose to his feet and began searching for his distant assailant.

"Holy shit," Black Hood muttered, "Let's try a head shot then."

Getting a bead on an alert target was geometrically more difficult, but drawing in on an alert, mobile target was exponentially harder. His second shot missed but punctured a building in Gunshot's background. And now Gunshot had _his_ target and began to return fire.

Fortunately for Black Hood, Gunshot had expended all of his heavy munitions. Lacking rockets, grenades, and even heavy caliber rifles, Gunshot still retained a high caliber handgun and an assault rifle and a backup submachine gun. But unlike his machine pistol and handgun, the assault rifle fired armor piercing bullets that could puncture through the police car Black Hood sheltered behind.

Black Hood packed up and relocated under better cover. The scenario had radically changed instead of an ambush it was now a hunting party. Two predators facing one another for an ultimate showdown.

* * *

Death Bat couldn't ride Chiroptera in the hellacious winds Cloudburst was generating. And the storm was only intensifying. Death Bat's infernal flames spread further and faster if he was aiming downwind. But these flames proved useless against Inferno.

Death Bat was immediately suspicious when Inferno's flesh and clothing didn't ignite. So he poured on the flames and Inferno's onboard holographic system overheated, revealing his robotic body. Later generations would recognize the design as a Zeta-class android.

"I'll melt you down," Death Bat promised.

"Try it," Inferno baited his foe.

Then he ignited a wall of fire all around Death Bat as he clung to the Extremist despite the hellish winds. He continued bearing down incrementally increasing levels of pyrokinesis against Death Bat. Death Bat's limited resistance to fire was sorely tested but he responded in kind. So the pair were locked in a combustible stalemate. The loser would die and the winner would take all. But the ongoing stalemate threatened others as well.

* * *

"Why bother with wings?" Death Angel taunted War Eagle from atop an overturned bus, "You can't even fly in this weather.'

"You're not exactly human, are you?" War Eagle asked.

"And you're not human or Thanagarian, are you?" Death Angel mocked her, "I was cast out of my native Tamaran for speaking out against the princess you know as Starfire. I travelled to the Gordanian territory and took contracts to kill my own people. But they came after me so the princess' dear sister, code-named Blackfire, got me out. I was relocated to the pocket universe containing Angor and a dozen other populated worlds."

"And you were just as boring back then," War Eagle sarcastically remarked.

"Darling, please," Death Angel flashed her claws, "Let's not fight."

"I've seen the like before," War Eagle showed her talons off.

"Oh, this could be epic," Death Angel tittered with the anticipation of a true psychotic.

Death Angel leapt at War Eagle and they proceeded to slash and hack away at each other. Eventually, War Eagle felt out of sorts as the pain began and she broke away. Death Angel smiled victoriously.

"Feeling it now, are we?" Death Angel asked, "To be fair, you've lasted longer than anyone has before."

"Lasted?" War Eagle's body was on fire now.

"Poison," Death Angel excreted some out of it out of her claws, "I've filled you full of it."

"I'll show you who is full of it," War Eagle vowed then fainted.

"I wonder if you taste like chicken," Death Angel mused, "If they even have chickens on this planet."

* * *

At the edges of the rampant carnage, Cloudburst was in a trance-like state as he conjured the weather front moving across the states. Dr. Diehard defended him since Cloudburst was the Extremist most versatile weapon in this campaign. Comet raced through the clouds, absorbing electromagnetic energy as he did so. He emerged from the clouds when he sensed Dr. Diehard's magnetic fields. The fields Comet created couldn't influence others but could detect them by how they warped radiation. So Comet swooped low, blasting away with the excess energy he'd soaked up.

But Dr. Diehard generated a magnetic shield to shelter himself and Cloudburst behind. Comet never saw the flying car that blindsided him then plowed him under the soaked mud.

"He won't bother us again," Dr. Diehard promised.

"Make certain he doesn't," Cloudburst grunted through his exertions.

* * *

"Why do you oppose me?" Dreamslayer inquired of Darkling, "You're an intoxicating blend of Shadows and Nightshades. You should be helping me."

"Help you conquer the world?" Darkling had heard that spiel before.

"Torment would be a far more accurate description," Dreamslayer reasonably clarified.

"And _that's_ why I oppose you, dumbass," Darkling retorted. Her cape became dark energy and attacked Dreamslayer. She tried shifting him out of the material world but his magic was too powerful to allow it. But Dreamslayer understood her tactic and he moved _her_ to Angor instead.

Darkling arrived in the heart of Wacky World, left running by Carny, and every functioning animatronic sought to kill her. So Darkling was too busy staying alive to try and pinpoint where she was in the fabric of reality. But she knew she'd settle the score with Dreamslayer.

* * *

Brute's simplistic mind was startled to find that Steel Sterling matched him strength for strength and in thick skinned durability. Tracer intervened by popping his forearm claws down through his hands to slice Steel Sterling's chest open. But it simply fused shut and Tracer was impressed, "Neat trick. Try this on."

He severed Steel Sterling's forearm off at the elbow. But his arm grew to meet the forearm stretching up to meet it and it seamlessly restored itself.

"Damn," Tracer exclaimed.

"I didn't know I could do that myself," Steel Sterling admitted.

"Drop him, Brute," Tracer yelled.

Brute had enough native cunning to smash out the side of a building, taking the primary supports out with it. Steel Sterling saw that police were still trying to shepherd civilians evacuating the area. So he held the building up while the people cleared the projected path of the building's collapse.

Tracer resumed trying to kill every person alive, so when the police signaled an "all clear", Steel Sterling let the building fall. Tracer was certain his Amazonium laced skeleton and healing factor would enable him to survive, so he abandoned fleeing. He just hoped the destruction killed Steel Sterling.

After the building settled, Brute went back to terrorizing the local populace.

* * *

The Justice League Unlimited teleported in and met with Chief Burton. Shayera Hol and Jesse Quick were nominated to be liaisons with the various efforts to stop the Extremists. Both wounded women were glad to meet Carol.

"I hope your team is prepared," Carol warned them, "Because mine is taking a beating."

"We have nothing on these people," Shayera admitted.

" _We've accessed everybody, MLJ, ARGUS, DEO, SHADE and Spyral all draw a blank,"_ Kenny Wisdom informed them via satellite.

"Did you just hack every UN agency?" Jesse was impressed.

" _Yep. I mean, nope,"_ Kenny amended his boast, _"But the point is, these people didn't exist before today."_

"We can discuss international interagency hacking later," Carol warned Kenny as she handed Shayera a chart detailing every frequency every police and federal agency was operating their radio communications on. The National Guard was using civilian traffic rather than military channels, "We're riding atop these bands. Emergency services, such as fire and ambulance dispatch are included."

"Good idea," Shayera began remotely altering the JLU's comms while alerting the team she was doing so.

"Good luck," Jesse wished them well.

* * *

Lord Havok proved to be nearly as strong and invulnerable as Superman. He typically energized his axe in a similar manner that Lashina flowed energy into her whips. So, bereft of the axe, Lord Havok simply channeled his energy into his fists, doubling their impact. So while Superman reeled, Lord Havok redoubled his efforts to give Superman the beating of his life.

* * *

Barda came upon the stricken War Eagle, "You must be a _Mighty_ Crusader. You're hardly mighty anymore."

Death Angel pounced and Barda caught her mid-leap by the throat, "And I'd guess you're responsible for her condition."

Death Angel's claws slashed Barda's unprotected arm, "You really should wear more than a sports bra and Lycra pants during a fight."

"I'll crush you with my bare…hand?" Barda sounded uncertain as she passed out.

"And Death Angel doubles her tally!" The alien roared.

* * *

Green Lantern blocked Brute's path. John Stewart's power ring scanned Brute for energy signatures, "You're just leaking out ultraviolet energy. I'd guess that explains the purple skin."

"Brute smash!" The bellicose behemoth bellowed and he pounded away at John's shield. John had difficulty maintain the shield while Brute relentlessly hammered it. The next time Brute yelled "Brute smash," John readily believed him.

* * *

Power Ring tracked the source of the hellish storm down to Cloudburst and his bodyguard, Dr. Diehard. But oddly enough, the Ring of Volthoom didn't register either one of them as being alive. But her appearance on the scene interrupted Dr. Diehard's search for Comet.

"And I'm guessing you boys are responsible for all this bad weather," Jessica Cruz snarkily quipped.

"You're a Power Ring," Cloudburst realized.

"Which means you're not from this universe," Jessica replied.

"We come from Angor. The Power Ring of our universe was an ally," Dr. Diehard declared.

"Which means you aren't very nice," Jessica retorted, "So I'm guessing that rules out you being from the Champions, the Assemblers, or the Meta-Militia."

"We're the Extremists and we are responsible for all their deaths," Cloudburst bragged.

"That explains this mess," Power Ring commented, "Now, stand down. I won't bother to ask politely."

"No," Dr. Diehard growled.

Cloudburst abandoned his weather making to join in Dr. Diehard's attack on Jess. She resisted admirably but her Ring needed to feed to recharge. And oddly enough, the two Extremists weren't giving it a thing to work with.

* * *

Vibe's vibration wave knocked Death Bat off of his feet. Inferno ducked under cover while the JLers confronted his foe. Gypsy found Inferno just as his holo emitter had cooled enough to work again. But the only image available belonged to his youthful appearance.

"You need to get out of here!" Gypsy said insistent. She rejoined a puzzled looking Vibe.

"His atomic harmonics are all off. He isn't from our universe," Vibe explained his confusion.

"Ha! I'm from Angor. I can see you've heard of it," Death Bat gloated, "Tell me where Wandjina, Silver Sorceress, and Blue Jay are and I'll let you live to die another day."

"Um...Wandjina died stopping a reactor meltdown. Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay joined the Justice League but quit to join the _Injustice_ League," Gypsy explained to him.

"What?" Death Bay was horrified, "The mightiest Champion of Angor slain by radiation rather than by one of our hands? Where's the justice in that?"

"Well, he did save the country of Moldova and every surrounding nation for thousands of miles around it," Gypsy added.

"Wonderful," Death Bat was truly miserable, "Wandjina gone and the others in hiding. Now I will have to kill you both just to brighten my day."

"Great," Vibe groaned.

* * *

"You've opened a portal to Angor and sent someone through it," Anna Fortune determined.

"Then you know Angor's pocket universe has been spared alongside yours as the multiverse died," Dreamslayer guessed.

"Why shouldn't it be?" Anna wondered, "It existed outside of the multiverse just as the Time Trapper's creation still exists. Glorith has claimed it for her own and replaced the future's memory of Superboy with M'Onel. An identity he assumed to escape his 21st Century legacy as Valor with the human test subjects taken from Earth by the Dominators."

"You know far too much," Dreamslayer decided.

"And you know far too little to believe that threats will worry me," Anna shared.

"You serve Order and I serve Chaos and `nair the twain shall ever meet," Dreamslayer predicted.

"Truer words have never been spoken by a servant of Chaos," Anna agreed.

"So have at thee," Dreamslayer began his attack.

* * *

Gorgon found Atom Smasher's threat amusing, "Really, do tell me more."

Atom Smasher quadrupled his size in response. Gorgon finally recognized a semblance of a threat to him, "Ha!"

His coils wrapped around the body parts they could reach. Atom Smasher tugged at them and pulled one free of Gorgon's head. The man's scream let Atom Smasher know something more was up.

And then he saw the blood dripping from the severed end of the coil. Atom Smasher groaned, "Friggin' cyborgs."

* * *

The Shining Knight interrupted the hunting party thrown by Gunshot and Black Hood. Black Hood took careful aim at Gunshot's head because he only had one .50 caliber round left for the rifle. But he fired as Sir Justin swung his sword at Gunshot. Gunshot ducked out of the way and Black Hood's bullet blew Sir Justin's sword out of his hand.

Gunshot took aim at the Shining Knight only to discover his rifle was also devoid of ammo as the bolt struck a misfire with a defective round. Gunshot quickly pulled the bolt action to clear the chamber and then he dropped the spent magazine. But Sir Justin had retrieved his sword before Gunshot could reload. So now Shining Knight hunted Gunshot.

A development Black Hood approved of.

* * *

Atom's ability to change size was all that saved him as Tracer emerged from the rubble and his wounds healed while Atom watched. Then Tracer's enhanced senses detected Atom's diminutive form; Tracer tracked Atom wherever he went.

Ray Palmer wondered how he'd gotten into such a fix. Jean Loring was supposed to be filing injunctions and proofs of discovery while also sending investigators to Corto Maltese for an independent inquiry into events there. So Ray just had to stay alive to pay the bills and see Jean's efforts pay off.

* * *

Meanstreak used her psionic weapons on Hourman but he wouldn't scream. And he inexorably marched towards her. All of which bothered Meanstreak to no end. Why couldn't he just die?

* * *

"We need help," Supergirl agreed with General Glory.

"Help's all around us," he told her.

"They were beaten," she dismissed.

"How many times did General Zod and the others beat you?" General Glory inquired, "But you always learned from your mistakes and you eventually beat them with a little help from Superman."

"All right," Supergirl had to admit he had a point, "Who do we start with?"

"I'll start with the fella dressed like a flag. He seems to be the resident leader," General Glory didn't mention Joe Jones had worked with the original Shield in the Eighties while he was General Glory.

* * *

The Legion of Doom's scattered members of Brain Trust worked feverishly on the problem set before them. Arvell Hauser had persuaded MARS Corporation to release the Gun Club from ARMS Control to his authority. Director Zither dispatched a team of specialists from the Zither Group to observe the Hall of Justice. The Thinker and Professor Ivo worked on developing a new synthetic bio-organism to assist the Shaggy Man.

Clarissa Clemens was calling in favors to acquire assistance from the Anglo-Gallic Firestorm program she'd helped weaponize. Mr. Mind was constructing a giant robotic bore worm. Blackstarr was under a cloud of suspicion from her peers but not from Luthor himself. Ivana Baiul continued tracking down Gen14 candidates. And Sivana and his brood readied their Marvel-like powers to combat the New Reichsmen.

Luthor appointed the Brain as field Marshall over the Legion's shock troops but he trusted Signalman to ensure success. But they needed the enemy's head count and that was where Byte came in.

* * *

"I'm so glad you made it," Dick Grayson took a private moment at the reception to embrace Leslie Thompkins. The elderly doctor didn't travel well anymore. So the journey from Gotham to Bludhaven was taxing. But she'd made the effort for Dick and Ulla's wedding.

"Of course I made it," Leslie said graciously, "Someone had to."

"Alfred and Barbara are here," Dick pointedly ignored Bruce Wayne's absence, "And Tim is looking much better thanks to Grayle. I'll admit I was skeptical when Barb told me "Big" Jack Hudson's daughter would be Tim's new guardian. I never thought she'd be the nurturing type much less repenting about her family's past."

"We all have it in us," Leslie assured him, "Even Bruce."

"Don't bother calling him by his name these days because he isn't answering by it anymore," Dick cautioned her.

"I don't really think he has since the night his parents died," Leslie warned him, "Only Andrea came close to bringing Bruce back."

Grayle approached, "Leslie, I think you need to get back to the hotel and I know Tim is done for though he'd die before admitting it to anyone."

Ulla found them, "You're going?"

"I'm afraid time takes its toll," Leslie hugged her.

"Thank you so much for coming. It meant everything to _both_ of us," Ulla promised.

"Master Dick," Alfred interposed while Grayle gathered her party up.

"Not anymore, Alfred. Now it's just Dick," he assured the older man.

"I believe it's time for a final toast," Alfred, as ever, was mindful of social protocol, "Afterwards, you have a flight to catch."

"Care to assist?" Dick asked Ulla.

"In everything," she vowed.

* * *

" _Mein Fuhrer_ , we have modified the building's outward façade as instructed," Overman reported, "Let the world tremble at the sight of the Hall of National Socialism."

"Excellent, the world truly knows where to find us now," Degaton preened.

"Pardon, _Mein Fuhrer_ , what assignment do you have for the Fourth Reich? Your Reich?" Captain Nazi inquired.

"Prepare for imminent attack," Degaton ordered his troops, "Luthor has heard my message and seen my base of operations. His lackeys will respond with force and I intend to draw him out personally. And then I will end his insignificance."

" _Sieg heil, Mein Fuhrer_!" everyone chorused. Except for Baron Blitzkrieg, who merely offered the Nazi salute. A gesture that did not go unnoticed by Satan Girl nor did it escape either Overman or Overgirl.

* * *

Karen Starr met with Zinda Blake beneath Sherwood Florist along with Mary Batson. Karen was on the phone with her assistant, "It's all right, Melinda. My schedule for the afternoon was freed up already. I'll just be out of the office for a little while longer."

"So when did you guess?" Mary asked Zinda.

"That Karen Starr was really Galatea Hamilton?" Zinda looked disappointed, "The day she actually attended a corporate press conference. It didn't take a genius who knew Tea to recognize her."

"Look, Galatea was another life. I'm committed to my new life as Karen Starr now," she told Zinda.

"And you're a member of the Fortune 500 doing it," Zinda replied, "So it would be a rough transition."

"Sarcasm duly noted," Karen dryly acknowledged.

"Look, Huntress sent me the invite as well but I couldn't attend due to League business. But now their business is everyone's. The Justice League needs the Birds of Prey to help even if they won't admit it yet," Zinda made her pitch.

"We don't do 'cosmic'," Mary retorted.

"Funny coming from a Marvel. Even a Black one," Zinda quipped.

"Ease off, both of you. I'm assuming you're referring to the events in Pittsburgh," Karen interoposed herself between them.

"You already knew?" Zinda was incensed, "And you stayed away?"

"I can request available Birds to assemble here but whether they help or not is entirely up to them," Karen offered, "Deal?"

"Fair enough," Zinda relented.

"For what it's worth, I'm in," Karen changed into Power Girl in seconds. Mary simply summoned the lightning from Shazam and transformed into Black Mary.

"Now step on that circular pad in the floor and we'll send you back to wherever you want to go," Power Girl offered.

"This is a teleporter?" Zinda was astonished. That was a highly controlled technology.

"It _is_ a teleporter and before you ask, it's amazing what you can find on eBay," Power Girl advised her, "Just get ready. It can be rough."

The illegal teleporter locked into the International Security Agency teleporter network built by the Justice League and sent Zinda to her desired location. Where she promptly threw up.

"What happened?" Penny was alarmed, "We had no idea you were comin'."

"I wasn't certain myself," Zinda wiped her mouth, "Anyone have water?"

"Here," Hula Hula handed her a bottle.

"Did you achieve anything?" Trevor asked.

"I think I did," Zinda remarked.

* * *

Rhosyn Forrest came down the stairs into the Birds of Prey headquarters beneath the florist shop Dinah Lance had given her, "Everything okay? The teleporter monitor registered an unknown bio sign departing."

"Just Lady Blackhawk," Black Mary told her.

"Zinda Blake, There's a new Lady Blackhawk now," Power Girl reminded her. Galatea had been married to Blackhawk and lived in the Blackhawk Express bunkhouse. Karen Starr lived in a modest apartment in Queens with Mary Batson as her roommate.

"I see Mia and Conner finally cleaned out all of Green Arrow's gear," Power Girl finally had time to mention.

"And Dinah sent a minion to gather Black Canary's," Rhosyn revealed.

"Must suck to be the new Ra's al Ghul," Black Mary snickered.

"You never shared what happened to your knee," Power Girl couldn't help but notice the external brace.

"I used to be a costume myself. I was called Thorn and one day I took a crowbar to my knee in Suicide Slum. It took Guardian and Gangbuster working together to get me out alive. Superman was busy with the Justice League and CADMUS," Rhosyn told them both, "All the king's horses and men couldn't put my Humpty Dumpty knee back together again. So I was forcibly retired."

"Which is why you were so quick to volunteer when Black Canary suggested we use your place as a base," Black Mary realized.

"I like you," Rhosyn grinned.

"Most do if they get past the acerbic attitude she's copped lately," Power Girl admitted, "Now we need to send an APB to the ladies and clear the teleporter deck to receive whoever responds."

"Men find me threatening," Black Mary clarified.

"Men find every woman in the Birds of Prey threatening," Power Girl corrected her.

Talon, Hawkfire, and Batwoman appeared together. Which was only natural since they all worked for Spyral as a superhero enforcement team. No one was certain about Katrina Moldoff yet. But she'd already proven herself to Talon and Hawkfire a dozen times over. So it was good enough for the others.

Huntress naturally responded as the chosen leader of the team. Spy Smasher arrived from ARGUS. Savant came from an archeological dig she was conducting in New Mexico. April Amazing had just foiled a bank robbery. Cat-Girl, She-Fox, Pow-Girl, and the Queen of Diamonds came as a set. No one knew where they'd met She-Fox.

"Spoiler and Bluebird are off grid so we can't contact them. Jade and Jonni Thunder are otherwise engaged with other priorities," Rhosyn announced as the teleporter activated one final time to grace them with Poison Ivy's presence.

"You're new," Ivy cast a suspicious eye at She-Fox.

"And you bothered to show up," April Amazing scornfully reprimanded her.

"Is she necessary?" Ivy asked Power Girl.

"Yes, deal with it," Power Girl admonished her.

"Have it your way," Ivy said with a long suffering sigh.

"Where's Crimson Fox?" Kenesha asked. Savant was growing a budding friendship with the French heroine.

"Vivian is sick so Constance is covering for her at the magazine," Rhosyn supplied the answer.

"I don't even know who most of you are," She-Fox admitted, "You're a Bat?"

"Batwoman," Katrina answered.

"But she's grey and pink," She-Fox was admittedly confused.

"They retired and I'm the holder of the title now," Batwoman explained, "Especially after the death of Bat-Girl."

"Batgirl's dead?" She-Fox was alarmed.

"Not Batgirl," Talon sneered, "Bat- _Girl_."

"And you must be the friendly one," She-Fox quipped.

"I'm Talon and you won't cross me if you know what's good for you," Helena Wayne advised. She carefully neglected to mention she was the last resurrected Talon who'd escaped alive from the Injustice Titans. She was a resource to be used later when she rebuilt the Court of Owls from the ashes the League of Assassins had left behind.

"I'm Hawkfire," Bette Kane was eager to defuse growing hostilities.

"She-Fox," Delilah Monaco told her. Talon's derisive snort almost ignited hostilities all over again.

She-Fox changed targets, "Aren't you Dr. Kenesha Jones? The infamous archeologist who frequently scoops everyone, including Carter Hall."

"The one and only," Savant told her.

"You've rewritten human history," She-Fox was astounded, "How do you find all that stuff?"

"Usually by remembering where people left it," the nearly immortal alien Kherabim answered, "I was usually there or nearby when it happened."

"Riiight," She-Fox simply blew that off as hyperbole.

"Fine. Don't believe me," Savant was good natured about it.

"You're from Los Angeles. I was just there," She-Fox pointed out, "Where were you?"

"The audience is always fickle," Black Cat remarked, "And I was out of town for work."

"Life isn't a movie," She-Fox replied.

"It is for me," Black Cat didn't bother explaining that she was a part-time actress and full time stunt woman.

She-Fox simply believed there was something in Tinseltown's water that brought out the crazies. Especially ones in masks and tights. Her next approach was to Cat-Girl.

"Who are you again?" she inquired.

"Cat-Girl. I'm a cat goddess," she happily answered.

"Are you from Los Angeles by any chance?" She-Fox asked.

"Closer to Cairo," Cat-Girl snickered.

"We've met," Pow-Girl had invited She-Fox. She-Fox was the Fox's ex-girlfriend and Pow-Girl was the Web's. They each had plans for the men formerly in their lives.

"And you're the proverbial Queen of Diamonds." The Queen was from a sidereal dimension populated with humans living in a diamond and zirconia encrusted world. Even her clothing seemed fashioned from diamonds.

"And you are?" She-Fox only had two introductions left to make.

"April Amazing," she answered.

"And how amazing are you?" She-Fox wondered.

"Utterly mind blowing," April Amazing answered.

"No greeting for me?" Ivy asked.

"Did you honestly want one?" She-Fox wondered.

"No," Ivy was honest enough.

"Then quit bitching about it," She-Fox rolled her eyes.

Power Girl and Black Mary had been conferring with Huntress during all the introductions. Huntress addressed the group, "Power Girl has brought me up top speed. She thinks we can deal with the muscles that knocked Superman out."

"We're intelligent and I assume courageous. So, yeah, I think we can hand these guys their collectives asses," Power Girl retorted, "You don't have to outmuscle an enemy to outwit them and exploit their weaknesses and your strengths."

"You sure she's not the boss?" She-Fox inquired.

"Let's put it to a show of who will go and who will remain behind," Huntress stated, "All in favor of assisting the Mighty Crusaders and the Justice League raise your hands.

Several minds were changed upon hearing the Mighty Crusaders were also in jeopardy..

"Here we go," Black Mary flippantly replied at the unanimous vote…baring Ivy's abstaining.

"And Ivy declined to vote either way so she's coming with us," Huntress decided.

"Rhosyn, contact Jade again and get her to convince Sentinel to bring the Justice Society running," Huntress insisted.

"According to Zinda the JSA was warned to stay out of Pittsburgh," Power Girl warned Huntress.

"It's hard to say no to your only daughter," Huntress remarked, "Right, Talon?"

Talon glared hateful daggers at the other Helena.

"Put us one mile from the conflict zone," Huntress told Rhosyn who was operating the teleporter system, "Try to land us as close to the police mobile command as possible."

Then the Birds of Prey began to deploy in foursomes.

* * *

Max Lord was livid. He'd teleported from his offices at Innovative Concepts to Antarctica and as soon as he arrived, the veins in his temples began pulsing, "What the hell do you mean you don't know where they went?"

"It was a safeguard to prevent any pet psychic from learning of Killer Frost's plans. Only Owlwoman even knew of their intentions. They are due to make contact at any minute," Dr. Mist explained.

"When they do, L-Ron will teleport them back _here_ straightaway. Understood?" Max didn't bother trying to "persuade" Mist.

"Righty-O, oh chieftain of chieftains," L-Ron happily burbled.

"Don't make today any worse," Max warned him.

"Yes, Lord Maxwell," L-Ron was far more subdued now.

"The Secretary-General wishes to merge the Justice League Antarctica and the Justice League Task Force in an effort to destroy the Justice Leagues Unlimited and Dark. Which is Luthor's brainchild of course. And unfortunately, this 'Task Force' has a catchier name."

"Most of them are thugs and killers," Belphegor complained.

"But they will become our brand of thugs and killers," Max ordered, "So where are they? Are you just effin' losing every effin'-one today?"

"They departed before you arrived without clearing their destination with us," Dr. Mist dryly retorted.

* * *

Flying over South America, Threshold took Luthor's call on the encrypted mobile, _"You have your orders. The Justice League_ and _the Mighty Crusaders must die today so they can't tell their stories."_

"And the assailants?" Threshold asked.

" _Kill them all and then we'll spin your 'tremendous' victory over the forces of evil,:"_ Luthor couldn't keep a straight face.

"We'll make it happen," Threshold promised.

* * *

Lady Flash's withdrawals intensified over the time since they'd begun. Tefe Holland was amazed at the biological progress, "Her enhanced metabolism moves so fast she's undergone a week's worth of symptoms in less than an hour. She'll be freed from the physical addiction in less than fifteen more minutes. There's no predicting the mental hooks though."

"She could have kicked it earlier but Nyssa Raatko kept her strung out to control her more easily," Killer Frost shared.

"She'll need tons of food and water. She's already skinnier," Neo Joker observed.

"The venison is roasting on a spit, several quail and I have a turkey making an approach. But none of it will be done when Christina beats this," Tefe informed them.

"Hell, she'll probably even take it bloody," Killer Frost opined.

"Silver Sorceress is still down 'n out and Blue Jay isn't budging," Valentina Vostok was taking a break from providing materials and tools for Insect Queen.

"Is it any wonder why I'm not attracted to men?" Killer Frost said sourly.

"Here it is," Insect Queen handed Killer Frost the valued phone, "Val can recharge it when needed."

"Christina is going to need glucose," Tefe told Insect Queen, "Too bad we can't make sugar water."

"I've got something better. Two miles out is a beehive," Insect Queen revealed as she sprouted wings, "I'll collect part of the honeycomb and its honey."

"Won't that starve the bees this winter?" Tefe was aghast.

"I'll choose Christina's life over a portion of a hive any day," Insect Queen flew off.

"Nice to know where she stands," Killer Frost mentioned.

"I only want her to live to further my own agenda," Neo Joker insisted.

"Such is the way of the world," Killer Frost was amused by Neo Joker's unnecessary clarification. She definitely protested too much.

"I could use some help carving strips of meat to roast faster for when Christina comes out of it," Tefe told the group.

"Gimme a knife and I'm there," Neo Joker promised.

"I can provide one," Valentina offered.

Neo Joker withdrew a machete sized knife from a sheath sewn into her pants, "No problem."

"I'm glad you're on our side," Val admitted.

"For now anyway," Neo Joker warned them.

* * *

Those that would become known as the Shadow Crusaders travelled atop clouds as fast as Hangman could propel them without losing a passenger. They arrived through the massive storm summoned by Cloudburst to begin reviving the Mighty Crusaders. Supergirl and General Glory readily volunteered to assist.

The Marvel attempted to aid Black Hood's search for the Shield. They found him lying before a bent support strut. The Marvel jogged him but Black Hood slapped his face, "Wake up!"

Shield revived. Groggily he asked, "What's our status?"

"We need to vacate the premises," Marvel warned them as the building began to groan.

"Marvel why are you here?" Shield asked as he got to his feet.

"It's a long story and I'm not appreciative of any portion of it," Marvel led the way out.

* * *

Fox came to as Inferno found him, "I gotta get you outta here."

"No," Fox growled, "That punk is using my sword to try and kill Atom Smasher. That's not happening."

Inferno torched Gorgon's hair coils, leaving the cables exposed. Fox was pleased, "Nice to know what we're dealing with."

* * *

The redirected General Glory revived Fly Girl. She groaned as she awoke, "Oh gawd, what hit me?"

"I believe these are yours," General Glory handed her two pistols.

"My buzz guns!" Fly Girl was alert now, "Stupid bitch didn't break them. Now I'll zap her ass into the stone age."

General Glory was happy to assist.

* * *

Hangman used herbs from his medicine bag to draw out the poison from Barda and War Eagle. Death Angel returned, "tut, tut! Undoing all my hard work. Let's see if you can cure yourself."

"Can you?" Hangman asked.

"Even if you can save them, I'll just kill everyone over and over again until they finally die," Death Angel promised.

"That won't be happening today," Hangman vowed.

* * *

Supergirl found Power Ring besieged by Dr. Diehard and Cloudburst. But she followed the track that buried Comet and hefted the car off of him. He sputtered dirt as he climbed out of the furrow.

"Gimme a second and let's break these bastards," Comet offered, "And afterward, my girlfriend would love to have your autograph."

Supergirl was utterly flummoxed.

* * *

Darkling re-appeared on Earth Prime from Wacky World on Angor. Blackjack noted that she was young for the superhero game and incredibly skaken, "Take it easy."

"We don't have time for niceties," Darkling advised him.

"I think they killed Steel Sterling," Blackjack told her.

"Jack Sterling has been dead twice before and come back again. I'm betting the third time is the same as before," Darkling was amused.

Mr. Justice was searching the rubble where he sensed Steel Sterling to be. Blackjack led Darkling to the location. She took hold of her cape.

"Step aside," she ordered everyone. She could detect Steel Sterling's energy and Mr. Justice's spectral nature as well. Her cloak became dark energy and filtered between the cracks and the chunks of rubble, "Aha, I found him."

She withdrew her cloak and swished her cape in front of her and Steel Sterling appeared.

"I guess I don't breathe anymore," Steel Sterling realized.

"I'm going to need a minute," Darkling felt faint.

"Okay, but then we help the Justice League," Steel Sterling replied.

"We have lots of helpers coming this way," Darkling stated.

Even Mr. Justice was oblivious as to who that could be.

* * *

The Birds of Prey appeared in foursomes. After they were done being sick, they met with Chief Burton and Special Agent Strander. Carol gathered them and recalled the Mighty and Shadow Crusaders to deploy them in teams to help the JLU.

Jade led Sentinel and the Justice Society to Pittsburgh. The JSA had left their teenage students back at the K-Star Ranch. Roxy plugged them into the local comms networks by remote. She also provided live feeds to the students who had questionnaires previously drafted by the JSA-ers to quiz their protégés after an event such as this one.

Stargirl and STRIPE were the unhappiest of all, being JLers left behind first by the JLU then the JSA. Courtney Whitmore and Mike Dugan plotted together to travel to Pittsburgh at the slightest excuse. Roxy pledged not to interfere by stopping them.

ARGUS and the FBI were already twitchy at seeing the Justice League on scene. Gen. Latham personally arrived to assert the MLJ Initiative's jurisdiction to order the SAICs to stand down once the danger passed since they are plotting to arrest the JLU. Then he and Carol mixed the various teams and sent them forth.


	4. Chapter 4

30

Power Girl and Black Mary were tasked with relieving Superman. Power Girl slammed into Lord Havok, sending him hurtling away, before he could deliver a death blow.

"Go! I've got this!" Black Mary shouted as she flew past to engage the enraged Lord Havok.

Galatea tried reviving Superman but he was locked in a deep loss of consciousness. First she applied heat vision to his face and then she employed her freeze breath to shock him awake. He awoke with a gasp.

"Galatea?" Superman beleaguered realized.

"And friend," Power Girl directed his attention to Black Mary's ongoing struggle.

"That trick…to revive me, where did you learn it?" Superman asked.

"From Kalea, she knows applications for Kryptonian gifts you haven't fathomed yet," Power Girl advised him of his eldest daughter.

"I can imagine," Superman conceded. Kalea-El had been born and raised on Almerac. Which was an exceptionally militant society, a society Kalea had briefly ruled after overthrowing her mother and invading Earth. After surviving exile on Argo, Kalea had assisted in Maxima's second ouster and the revamping of Almeracian society.

Which was a living replay of Krypton's history beginning a thousand years ago. Something Kalea would have learned as she scoured Argo's libraries and taught herself Kryptonian. But Kalea had returned Maxima to the throne and denied herself a restoration to Almeracian citizenship. She effectively served as one of Maxima's slaves. But she was also Maxima's most potent weapon.

Maxima was reforming her empire from its former strictures and from its overt libertarians under Marcus. According to Maxima's messages she'd been finding a balance before the Gordanians invaded and nearly all hope was lost. But Lord Ultraa had led the forces in the field while Kalea unite the Khunds and the Dominators to attack the Gordanians. And under the new reality, Almerac had withdrawn from the hostilities.

But under Saturn Queen and the Emerald Empress, the two factions were being led by Ultraman and the Kryptonians of Kandor to overrun Almeracian worlds one at a time. And this time, Ultraa, as Maxima's consort, failed to leave the palaces to attack the enemy once again. So Maxima had dispatched her daughter to find a desperate solution to the overwhelming threat.

And now Power Girl was freeing her friend's father. Superman's gaze fell on the struggling Black Mary, "We'd better help her."

"You think?" Power Girl sarcastically quipped and then softened, "Sorry, old habit."

"And I deserve it," Superman finally admitted, "I always underestimate you."

"And berate me. You can't forget that part," Power Girl retorted.

"Yet you're constantly helping me," Superman felt miserable for his long standing ingratitude.

Black Mary came skidding by, propelled by a blow from Lord Havok, "A little help here?"

"Yes, insects. Come to me and meet your demise," Lord Havok boasted.

"He reminds me of a man named Val-Zod," Superman said grimly.

"That sounds like it's a bad thing," Power Girl remarked.

"Ask Supergirl. She's the expert," Superman exploded into action after that.

"Our turn," Black Mary sounded gleeful.

The trio triangulated Lord Havok and kept him engaged with at least one member while a third was smashed away.

Finally, Lord Havok's metal skin began to dent under the relentless pressure. Lord Havok raised his hands, "Enough! You only think you've beaten me."

"Or it's truth," Power Girl's following right cross knocked him out.

"I couldn't have done this alone," Superman freely admitted.

"It was the teamwork, not us," Power Girl replied.

"Hey! He wants to pour on the praise? Let him," Black Mary snapped at her.

"You really have changed, haven't you?" Superman asked her.

"What of it?" Black Mary was immediately defensive.

She reminded Superman of when he met Mistress Mary on Earth-3. The resemblance was obvious to those that knew her. And very chilling even to those that had never met Mistress Mary.

* * *

Barda and War Eagle were feverish but awake now that Death Angel was attacking Hangman. It was obvious to both of them that Hangman was effectively blind. But the flying crow seemed to be his guide.

Queen of Diamonds and Mr. Justice stepped in before Death Angel could effectively use her claws against Hangman. Death Angel leered at Queen of Diamonds, "My, my! What pretty, pretties!"

"You can have some if you like," Queen of Diamonds offered. She aimed her large bore handgun and shot diamonds at Death Angel. Three of them met their mark.

"You could probably solve the city's fiscal crisis even with the rebuilding it'll need," Mr. Justice observed.

"They can have them," Queen of Diamonds was dismissive. Her realm was literally composed of the gemstones.

"Gah…gah…gah!" Death Angel panted, "I haven't been wounded in living memory. You actually hurt me."

"And I intend on doing so until you either surrender or die," Queen of Diamonds warned her.

"Allow me," Mr. Justice shifted into his completely spectral state. A state that was so horrific it caused the hardboiled Death Angel to faint. Mr. Justice resumed his normal visage.

"No fuss and no muss," he boasted.

"We meet again," War Eagle addressed Queen of Diamonds, "And as allies no less."

"A better turn of events," Queen of Diamonds admitted.

"Don't forget about me, War Eagle," Mr. Justice prompted her.

"Too late," War Eagle grimaced.

"We need to shackle this one," Hangman nudged Death Angel's leg with his boot.

"Will these do?" Queen of Diamonds produced handcuffs cut from a single gemstone.

"I don't even want to know where you were hiding these," Mr. Justice said as he bound Death Angel's hands behind her back, "Where do you come from again?"

"The Diamond Realm," Barda replied, "She's their queen."

"And that's not local, is it?" Mr. Justice asked.

"Hardly," Barda rolled her eyes.

"Too bad," Mr. Justice said wistfully.

* * *

Steel Sterling grabbed a hold of Brute's arm and threw him into an evacuated building across the street. Brute looked puzzled as he emerged, "Brute smash?"

"Thanks," Green Lantern offered, "It seems like the madder he gets the stronger he becomes. But his power is directly tied to ultraviolet radiation."

John sounded as weary as he felt. The strain of resisting Brute's attack had been previously unimaginable. He needed a minute to recoup before he launched back into the thick of it.

"Don't thank me just yet," Steel Sterling offered a jaunty wave as he headed straight at Brute.

The Marvel and Blackjack were delaying Brute as he emerged from the rubble. Brute recognized the approaching Steel Sterling and forgot all about Marvel and Blackjack, "Brute smash!"

Steel Sterling transformed a hand into a blade and slashes all across Brute's chest and abdomen. Brute held his guts together while purple blood seeped between his hands. Then as everyone watched, the wounds sealed up and healed over.

"Brute smash," he said in a low, menacing growl.

"Brute is welcome to try," Steel Sterling offered.

As predicted, Brute's strength had increased exponentially. But his intelligence had seemingly diminished in a direct proportion. While Steel Sterling fought him hand to hand, Marvel and Blackjack distracted him at every turn. Finally, John Stewart was able to attempt what he'd wanted to do all along.

His construct was a simple, airtight bubble around Brute's head. Brute beat at his own head, "Yeargh!"

Steel Sterling renewed his attack to force Brute into consuming oxygen faster. And, Brute slowly and painfully asphyxiated.

"Brute smash," he was heard to whisper as he passed out.

"Who is this hulk?" Marvel asked.

"I'm going to find out," Green Lantern vowed.

* * *

While Supergirl and the Comet engaged Dr. Diehard and Cloudburst, Savant used her Seven Leagues Shoes to close the distance between that spot and the police mobile command in a single step.

"Whoa! I've got you," Savant promised as she caught the fainting Power Ring.

"Who are you?" Jessica Cruz weakly asked.

"My name's Kenesha. Or Dr. Kenesha 'Jones' these days but most in the heroic set call me Savant for short," she explained as she steadied Jessica.

"I'm Jessica but most know me as Power Ring these days," she explained.

"My people regarded revenge as a powerful motivator," Savant referred to the Kherabim and especially her mother, Zealot, "Care to test that theory?"

"More happily than you could possibly know," Power Ring agreed.

"I wouldn't be so certain," Savant advised her. As Jessica threw herself into the fight once again, Savant was reminded of the Kherabim warrior sisterhood known as the Coda. Her mother had been its fiercest warrior. And its greatest heretic. After all, Kenesha had been conceived and born to the "celibate" Zealot and then raised as Zealot's "sister" by her grandmother.

First Power Ring snared Cloudburst in a horrific construct so that Comet could blast him into unconsciousness. Dr, Diehard lashed out with his full might at Jessica. But she withstood the attack while Comet unleashed hell upon him. Supergirl slipped past Dr. Diehard's magnetic field shield and her fist smashed into his jaw, sending him sprawling.

"You'll pay for that!" Dr. Diehard vowed with a pathetic shriek.

"I've been told worse by better," Supergirl retorted.

"I need him using his power to its maximum capacity," Savant rummaged around in her messenger bag.

"You're nuts. You know that, right?" Comet asked her.

"You don't need to trust me. You just need to get it done," Savant replied.

"I trust her," Jessica decided.

"So do I," Supergirl was rarely wrong about these things, but when she was it was epic.

"Ah hell, let's do it," Comet positioned himself.

It was a three pronged attack against Dr. Diehard. Power Ring used pure trans-emotional spectrum energy. Comet threw volleys of radiation. And Supergirl used her telekinetic force beams. All forcing Dr. Diehard to bend the Earth's magnetic field.

Normally, Dr. Diehard projected magnetic energy and manipulated vaster field with relative ease. But this time, the fields all converted to an electromagnetic strike that encompassed Dr. Diehard and struck him down. When his struggles ceased, the Earth's natural field emissions returned to normal.

"What?" Comet was dumbfounded.

Savant showed him a wand-like device, "A Daemonite field inverter. They can be quite deadly."

"Not deadly enough," Power Ring complained.

"Look, let's just truss him up and hand him over to the MLJ wrapped in a bow," Comet offered.

"And I really don't think two women accused of war crimes want to be further accused of a crime they really did commit executing a hostile prisoner," Savant reminded everyone.

"I hate it when you're right and we just met," Jessica grumbled.

"You'll get used to it," Savant promised.

* * *

Talon led Hawkfire and Batwoman against Death Bat to relieve Vibe and Gypsy. Death Bat recognized a kindred spirit in Talon.

"Lose the stupid owl suit and we could get it on," Death Bat attempted to woo Helena Wayne.

"Maybe after I kill you," Talon reciprocated the offer.

"So hostile," Death Bat chuckled and unleashed his infernal flames upon her.

Batwoman and Hawkfire attacked him from the side and behind to distract him from his target. Death Bat shrugged them all off, "Ladies, ladies, there's more than enough of me to go around."

Then he was shaken so hard his teeth nearly loosened, "What the literal hell?"

"Surprise," Vibe cheerfully reminded Death Bat of his presence, "Remember me?"

"Of course I remember…agh!" Death Bat began to snap before he was hit over the head with a discarded police shotgun seemingly floating in midair. Then the rifle turned and chambered itself.

Gypsy became visible again, holding the shotgun on him, "I so wanted to do that."

"So what do we do with him?" Hawkfire referred to the still reeling Death Bat.

Talon drew a curved knife from a leg sheath, "What needs to be done."

"No," Batwoman interposed herself between Talon and the prospective prisoner.

"Step aside," Talon grated.

"Babe! I am so hot for you right now," Death Bat cheered her on.

"Vibe knocked the knife free and shattered it when it hit the already fractured pavement, "That is not the way we do things."

"Tell it to Corto Maltese," Talon sneered, "This is not the way to solve problems. You just don't have the balls to get the job done right."

"Luthor isn't our superior," Batwoman argued, "No matter what he thinks."

"Suck it up," Talon urged, "Tomorrow we'll be asked to hand him to the JLers' heads on silver platters."

"Can't we just get along here?" Hawkfire asked.

"No!" Talon snarled and stomped down the street.

"Give her time," Hawkfire pleaded with Vibe and Gypsy. Batwoman knew the plea was directed at her as well.

Batwoman used steel cable wire to tie a constrictor knot around Death Bat's throat, wrists, and ankles, "He won't be going anywhere."

"Tell the honey I'm so in love," Death Bat leered.

"Zip it, pinhead," Batwoman cuffed his head.

"So who are you all?" Gypsy cradled the shotgun.

"We're with Spyral," Batwoman explained, "I was selected for a special program and became 'Batwoman' when the name became available."

"Batwoman retired?" Vibe asked.

" _Both_ of them," Bette Kane added, "I'm Hawkfire. I used to be Flamebird when I was with the Teen Titans. Bat-Girl was my cousin. After I left the Titans I joined Spyral and here I am in that same special program."

"And the resident psychopath?" Vibe asked.

"Talon was with the Court of Owls just like it sounds and she infiltrated Spyral. But after she stepped down as the training agent for field work, the Owls were destroyed. Including Talon's father. She had nowhere else to go, so she also joined our special program," Batwoman told the pair, "Outside of Spyral, we belong to an independent agency called the Birds of Prey. That's who we're here with today."

"You two are totally cool," Gypsy assessed, "But that other _chica_ is a complete psychopath."

Neither Batwoman nor Hawkfire defended Talon further.

* * *

Darkling came to Anna Fortune's aid just as Sentinel and Jade arrived as well. Dreamslayer was a potent sorcerer. The most devastating magical being in Angor's pocket universe, but he derived from the Chaos dimension and had been exiled for failing to usurp a Lord of Chaos. As an instrument of Chaos, Dreamslayer was happy to pit his skills and power against an Agent of Order. But to additionally face down the original Green Lantern, his daughter, and Darkling was asking too much even of a Chaos magician.

Anna called out, "With me!"

She conjured Order magic bonds for Dreamslayer. Sentinel and Jade reinforced them and blended their Green Flame derived powers into the restraints. Dreamslayer found he couldn't escape or break the shackles. And worst of all, they neutralized his Chaos derived power.

"What witchery is this?" Dreamslayer demanded to know.

"Since the emotional spectrum didn't manifest itself in any other universe, my guess is neither did the Starheart to create a Green Flame," Sentinel theorized.

"I don't think that's entirely true," Anna corrected him, "The Lord Green Lantern of Earth-2 utilized a Starheart powered ring and Spencer Hawke wielded a Green Flame powered ring from another parallel universe as well."

"But the Guardians of the Universe vowed there were no Lantern Corps in any other universe," Jade pointed out.

"I was a Green Lantern without the Corps or the Guardians," Sentinel reminded her, "Maybe the same held true in parallel universes."

"What the hell is everyone going off about?" Darkling demanded to know.

"We need to find a way to store this fella," Sentinel sidestepped the question.

"That's the easy part," Darkling told them, "Leave him to me."

Darkling's cape flowed in a wave over him and Dreamslayer vanished. Anna asked the obvious question, "And where, pray tell, did you send him?"

"The one place he doesn't want to be," Darkling smugly affirmed, "The Chaos Realm,."

In the Chaos dimension, Dreamslayer faced judgment and he screamed as it was delivered.

* * *

Atom Smasher caught his breath after nearly being crushed by Gorgon. The Fox and Inferno were battling away with him. Fly Girl flew onto the scene and added her buzz guns to the Mighty Crusaders' arsenal with an aerial attack.

"Oh no, not her," Fly Girl groaned as the aptly dressed She-Fox and Pow-Girl joined the fray.

While Gorgon was attacked from every side, Atom Smasher grew as tall as the neighboring buildings. He stomped on Gorgon…twice. The Extremist was unconscious as Atom Smasher shrank back down to his already immense normal stature.

"You're the Mighty Crusaders, aren't you?" he asked the group.

"Us…not them," Fly Girl hurriedly clarified, "I don't know where the hell they came from."

"You're picking her over me?" She-Fox was insulted.

"Make another crack," Fly Girl urged She-Fox.

"Where's the Web?" Pow-Girl asked.

"He didn't come with," Inferno told her.

"Too bad. I so wanted to rub his nose in it," Pow-Girl told them.

"Hey, you were a Web Host once upon a time," Fly Girl realized.

"So were you before you wised up and got fed up with the sanctimonious prick," Pow-Girl replied.

"Can we keep her?" Fly Girl asked Fox.

"Sorry, I'm already spoken for," Pow-Girl let them know.

Atom Smasher and Inferno stayed out of the developing soap opera.

* * *

Black Hood opened fire with his shotgun to keep Gunshot distracted from finishing Shining Knight off. Huntress arrived to lend her crossbow to precision shots between the joints of Gunshot's armor. With Gunshot reeling, April Amazing swung her fifteen pound sledge and almost caved his head in.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Huntress intercepted April Amazing, "Bloodthirsty much?"

"He's still alive," April Amazing huffed, "He just reminded me of Prof. Poison."

Huntress knew Poison was April Amazing's sole arch nemesis at that point. Huntress pushed her away from Gunshot, "We need him alive so he can eventually answer questions. Which probably won't be for a couple of months after that hit."

"Leave it to me," Black Hood offered, "He'll wake up _and_ tell us anything we want to know."

Huntress wondered who was the greater threat, April Amazing or Black Hood? Neither seemed interested in Gunshot's long term health. She wondered when she'd started caring about such things. The Justice League had been a bad influence on her.

* * *

Tracer couldn't move fast enough to use his forearm blades against the Flash. Atom was equally elusive. And the Shield proved impervious even to Tracer's Amazonium blades. Black Cat was equally annoying. But Poison Ivy presented the real threat against him.

Her vines choked him faster than he could cut them. The damnable plants kept attempting to get inside of him and sprout which they successfully accomplished.

While Tracer's healing factor dealt with the internal damage, Shield delivered the blow that knocked him out. He stared at Tracer, "Didn't they just make a movie about this guy?"

"Yup," as Linda Turner, Black Cat had been Lynn Collins' stunt double.

Ivy looked pensive, "Should I finish him off now?"

"No!" everyone railed as one.

"So it's unanimous then," Ivy sighed, "But you'll live to regret it."

"We'll take our chances," Jay Garrick advised Ivy.

* * *

Wildcat joined with Sand and Mr. Terrific to relieve their former teammate from Meanstreak's attentions. Sand proved immune to her psionic weaponry; she was likewise immune to Sand's gas gun but not Wildcat's patented right cross. Mr. Terrific used a T-Sphere to teleport her to the Arctic.

"Let her chill for several minutes and we'll see how amenable she is to surrendering afterwards," Mr. Terrific mused.

Dr. Mid-Nite tended to Hourman, "Easy Rick, you've been through an ordeal."

"Somehow I don't think it's over yet," Hourman admitted.

* * *

Cat-Girl tracked Jaguar's trail to the Justice League-Pittsburgh facility. She couldn't help but wonder why Jaguar was headed for the heart of the city's industrial complex. It was a Jaguar's inclination to find trouble and a Cat-Girl's prerogative to assist the Jaguar out of it. Cat-Girl had been studying Maria de Guzman since she'd first began to host the Cat Spirit and after Maria came to host the Spirit of the Jaguar. Maria had unwittingly crossed paths with Cat-Girl several times now.

Each time Cat-Girl had adopted a different disguise and watched Maria from afar. It prickled Maria's senses and she'd seen the poor girl fight an arousal she neither understood nor could she fight. But Cat-Girl was cognizant that Maria was the first Jaguar host in recorded history determined to fight those feelings.

But Jaguar could barely restrain herself in Cat-Girl's presence. Cat-Girl was determined to consummate that attraction. Because of the mystical nature of the spirits, Cat-Girl would be impregnated by Jaguar and because Jaguar was residing in a female host, Jaguar would also be impregnated by the tryst. Something no other person could perform on either of them.

Maria was unaware that as a Jaguar host, she was incapable of bearing children other than those conceived by Cat-Girl. In return, Cat-Girl could only bear children to a Jaguar and since Maria didn't have any worthy heirs, her brothers all having been rejected by the Jaguar spirit, it was incumbent upon her to bear offspring. The Cat spirit was far less stringent. Procreation just suited its immediate needs better.

Normally the Jaguar heir would come exclusively through the Cat line and the Cat spirit would simply choose another selected woman. But hosting both spirits in offspring born of the Jaguar-Cat union would double the future host power even as mortals. But Cat-Girl could sense Jaguar was on to something. And it wasn't her.

Jaguar's neck prickled as she closed in on JL-Pittsburgh. But she plunged further ahead. Behind her, Cat-Girl began to detect the warning signs of danger ahead, but Jaguar pressed on so Cat-Girl would as well.

* * *

The JLU and the JSA formally met with the Mighty Crusaders and the Birds of Prey. Despite the Justice Society's previous encounter with the Mighty Crusaders and the fact half of the Birds had either been in the Justice League, Justice Society, or both in Power Girl and Black Mary's cases. Superman addressed the groups with assistance from Shayera Hol and Jesse Quick supported by Special Agent Carol Anne Strander and the remote link up with Liberty Station where KitCat and Kenny Wisdom ran entire teams of support staff.

"I doubt this is over. Luthor has the entire resources of the world to throw at us. You've each chosen a side in this struggle and it isn't Luthor's or his pawns' in the United Nations," Superman stated, "And I doubt Luthor can afford to take us alive to stand a proxy trial at this point."

"Couldn't you have just said, 'thank you' at this point?" Fly Girl quipped.

"Gen. Latham directed us and the entire MLJ to look the other way regarding the presence of the Justice League and render assistance where needed," Shield explained.

"And we don't answer to anyone," Huntress assured them.

"And Director Bones and everyone in the DEO seems to have lost our number," Flash chuckled, "Roxy may or may not have something to do with that."

"There will still be repercussions for all of you," Shayera warned them.

"We're an agency of the United States government, not the United Nations," Carol advised the JLU, "Until President McKay crawls up Luthor's backside to kiss his colon, you're safe from us."

Jesse strode her way out of the mobile command where KitCat and Kenny were keeping tabs on the meet, "Incoming!"

A supersonic LexCorp designed plane shattered windows as it broke the sound barrier in downtown Pittsburgh. Black Hood summed up everyone's feelings, "What the hell?"

The transport returned at a much slower speed and hovered above the embattled streets. A lower ramp opened and the Justice League Task Force deployed.

Jakita Wagner of the Planetary Group chose Power Girl as her target. The Fourth Man, Elijah Snow, that sponsored the amateur archeologist group had lost hundreds of millions of dollars in investment funds when the government revoked Planetary's access to an interstellar ark discovered in Arizona. An ark that carried a Czarnian in cryostasis, a being the government was interested in recruiting.

Carter Hall, the Hawkman, led the research teams and Hawkman had revoked Planetary's admission to the dig site and its supporting research facilities. Planetary had the ability to force their way in but instead the Fourth Man had allied with Luthor to recoup those lost funds and to gain the original archeological relics, the research materials, the specimens, and all copies of all data pertaining to the dig.

Only President Olivia McKay had soundly denied Luthor's demands for all of the above. Snow was attempting to push for an impeachment or even a recall but despite spending even more money that he'd already lost, there was no actionable progress on either front.

But Planetary had played their part in Corto Maltese…twice. The first time had been the ambush designed to kill the Justice League. Barring their failure from that, they testified and coerced testimony to the World Court regarding real crimes and atrocities committed by the Legion of Doom and blamed it on the Justice League.

But Jakita didn't care about any of that at the moment. Jakita had been born in India but raised in Germany and she spoke a dozen languages fluently and had a bare bones grasp on three alien tongues. As a Majestic-level gen active, she had little to worry about on most occasions. Power Girl presented one of those rare happenstances where Jakita was literally in danger.

"Go. Away. You're not facing charges," Jakita shooed Power Girl, "But if you stay you'll be an even bigger accessory than you already are."

"Do I look like I care?" Power Girl grated, "I gave up on governments when CADMUS collapsed under its own weight. And don't think Luthor is any better. He's already plotted how to betray you after you hand him the Justice League's heads on pikes."

"You have it all worked out, don't you?" Jakita mocked her.

"The voice of experience if not reason," Galatea warned her.

"Are we just going to talk all day long?" Jakita really wanted to hit Power Girl all of a sudden.

"That's up to you," Power Girl replied.

"Then let's end this," Jakita charged forward at near Daxamite super speed.

* * *

"So the big, bad Green Lantern who thinks he's a brother," Ambrose Chase chuckled, "I guess we both made good from the `hood."

"I don't see it that way," John Stewart corrected him.

"Probably not, Uncle Tom. But I'm not the one who pissed off the United Nations," Ambrose warned him.

"You're well educated and you have supernatural abilities yet you still sold yourself to Luthor for thirty pieces," John disapproved.

"I'd still be doing my field work in archeology if it wasn't for your pal Hawkman," Ambrose warned him, "I hear he has a special connection to you and your lovely wife. You don't happen to have Starbrat in your back pocket, do you?"

"No," John wondered if this was the man Courtney Whitmore had put on the ground back at Corto Maltese before things went to hell.

"Then let's party like it's 1999 again," Ambrose began manipulating local gravity fields. John's ruing enabled him to resist. But the effort made him irritable.

* * *

The Drummer seized control of Mr. Terrific's T-Spheres, "Ah, toys."

"You must be the resident technopath," Mr. Terrific deduced.

"Why can't I target you?" Drummer cajoled.

"You'll wish you knew," Mr. Terrific pledged as he began to box Drummer.

* * *

Threshold used invisible psionic constructs to battle Sentinel's visible ones. Sentinel quickly surmised that Threshold was a psychotic little turd. One that wouldn't rest until Alan Scott was dead. So Sentinel decided to prove he couldn't be killed even by unconventional means.

* * *

"Sweetie, it's harder for me to seduce women but don't think I can't," Bliss warned Jade.

"I can handle myself," Jade replied.

"But I can feel all that pent up sexual energy," Bliss advised her, "Just not getting any?"

Jade suddenly appreciated Bliss' smile and began fantasizing about things she'd never dreamt of before. She just wanted Bliss _inside_ her regardless of extremity or orifice.

"I've got you now. I'll make all your sweet desires come true if you just kill Sentinel for me," Bliss promised.

Jade set out to kill her father.

* * *

Blind viewed the world in black and white contrasts. Effectively blinded, his paradigm matched his perceptual dysfunction. And it only took one of Dr. Mid-Nite's blackout bombs to prove Blind was aptly named. In addition, Blind was relentless and possibly unhinged.

The Doctor used hallucinogenic gases rather than time travel to defeat foes. But General Glory was suffused with the power of the Spirit of Lady Liberty. She immunized him from the Doctor's toys. But the Doctor never, ever gave up. So he began mixing chemicals in heretofore untried combinations.

* * *

"You really want to throw down?" Inferno was amused to be confronted by a cyborg.

"I'm detecting cybernetic components utterly lacking organic materials to adhere to," the Engineer rattled off.

"You could've started with 'hello'," Inferno said with disgust lacing every word.

"My mission parameters are to improve the tech base of this planet, then use it to improve the mind and body of every global citizen," Engineer recited from memory.

"Or you could just say you want to take over the world. So much easier," Inferno retorted.

"I detect hostility when you are not listed as a mission priority. Rather you were a mission exclusion until ten minutes ago. But your demise is still a secondary concern," Engineer announced, "Why then are you impeding my progress?"

"Because you suck, your mission sucks, and your cue ball headed boss sucks big weenie," Inferno spat.

"Unfortunately you have been reprioritized," Engineer told Inferno, "Goodbye."

And the Engineer began his attack.

* * *

The man known only as High was originally from Earth-9. He'd been gen activated in 1940, the year Superman and nine other mystery men founded the Justice Society of America. When the entire JSA fell before the Nazis in early 1951, High had been in his twenties and donned a costume to fight the "noble" fight for thirty years, unaging and unyielding. But he wearied of decades of warfare, and he found a way to breach the vibrational wall separating Earths.

So High went on a tour of the Multiverse and eventually made his way to Earth Prime. After a decade on Earth Prime, as its latest generation of heroes arose High grew disillusioned. So he gathered the Changers to eradicate all known societal structures and systems to reshape the world where every man and woman did what was right in their own eyes failing to see that one individual's personal truth would conflict with another's, eventually if not right away. And with no moral code governing their actions, those conflicting individuals would escalate matters until one or the other was dead.

But High refused to believe his goals would lead to anarchy. Instead he futilely insisted that everyone would naturally adopt a universal truth. With him as their universally appointed savior and all the rewards that entailed.

High was completely human whereas Superman only wished he were. But High was a class above a typical Majestic-level meta-human. He not only had Daxamite, strength, speed, flight, and invulnerability but he also mirrored Superman's vision powers as well as other associated gifts. Of course, the gradient was skewed because Bronski had only been Majestic for seven years before his death, hardly time to establish a firm baseline, and Jakita Wagner only had select Daxamite abilities so John Lynch and Ivana Baiul had deemed her gen activation as a partial failure.

High had dreamt of crushing this world's Superman but until that moment it had been an idle fantasy. Superman epitomized the very authority structures High had pledged himself with destroying. He would have killed Superman even if Luthor hadn't asked him to _and_ he'd deal with Luthor after he was the last man of authority standing.

"I've heard of you," Superman dimly recalled an ARGUS briefing regarding the Changers and their mysterious leader, "You're some kind of anarchist terrorist."

"Labels are meaningless," High said haughtily, "Used by people with small minds and even smaller vision."

"You just appeared out of nowhere ten years ago and just became active in world affairs a few months ago," Superman recalled, "Until then you barely appeared out from under public scrutiny a dozen times or more."

"I was gathering intelligence on this world's problems," High revealed, "And I seem to be the only one with conviction enough to deal with them."

"We'll see," Superman's eyes narrowed.

* * *

The African warrior-priestess called Rite confronted Anna Fortune. Anna, as an Agent of Order, was fully aware of Rite's sect and her extremist goals. Anna had prepared for this particular confrontation while Rite summoned her power through incantations, powders, and potions, Anna loaded a carefully selected spell casing.

But she preferred the diplomatic approach, "I know what you represent and why you do it. I would applaud your goals if they didn't tinge with Chaos. Do you truly believe Chaos magic will better the world and the lives within it?" Anna had to inquire.

"I will do whatever is needed to accomplish what my sisters are too lax to do," Rite replied.

"Again, a noble intention. But are you certain of the viability of your plan? You may think you control Chaos but in the end, it always controls the user," Anna warned her, "When you strip Order away, something always takes its place. And Chaos breeds a kind of darkness you seem ill prepared for."

"Each person will do what's right in their own eyes," Rite boasted.

"And what is right in my neighbor's eye often times threatens my life and sanity," Anna tried to warn her, "Safety becomes a thing of the past while the illusion of might makes right persists in its place."

"Why are you debating me?" Rite was suspicious.

"I've seen the results of competing ideologies unleashed upon a nation. Untold useless deaths occur. Staged worldwide the effect will only be magnified exponentially. I won't allow it to happen again if I can possibly deter it," Anna advised Rite.

"Then it is good you can't stop change," Rite attacked at that moment.

* * *

Gypsy had already vanished before Smoke faced Vibe, "Where's the girl?"

"What girl?" Vibe played it cool, or so he thought.

"Okay wise guy. Either tell me or I'll fill you full of hot lead," Smoke informed him.

"Really? We're already down to threats?" Vibe was disappointed.

Smoke literally became a cloud of smoke…with two handguns suspended in midair. Vibe could hardly believe it, "Well, that's new."

* * *

"Oh hell," Wish lamented as Fly Girl confronted her, "Look Sweets, my mental powers really don't work well on women but they still work."

"Try it on," Fly Girl offered.

"Find your lover and kill him," Wish commanded.

"Find the Fox and kill him," Fly Girl murmured before shaking her head, "Okay, it's both barrels for you."

Fly Girl dealt with Wish with both buzz guns blazing.

* * *

"Stop right there!" Black Mary ordered Eidolon.

"I exist beyond life and beyond death. I have seen the nothingness that awaits us all," Eidolon boasted.

"I've seen what lies beyond and it isn't pretty no matter where or what you think you encountered,"Black Mary told him.

"Then let me release you to it," Eidolon grabbed her wrist and Black Mary screamed at his death touch. But the demonic forces that posed as the Egyptian gods bolstered her life essence and she survived and punched Eidolon. He skidded a dozen feet back.

He rubbed his jaw, "That was certainly different."

* * *

"You again, go figure," Rose Tattoo complained as Wonder Woman confronted her, "You already tried killing me once. How'd that work for you?"

"I'll succeed eventually," Artemis told the living Spirit of Murder.

"You Amazonian babes, always so feisty," Rose Tatoo's enthusiasm grew, "Let's get it on."

* * *

Lord Daemonite, before his demise and the destruction of the Daemonites on Earth, assembled a group of unaffected Kherabim and hybrids he called the Cabal. Providence was a member and bonded to an Orb of Power like her rival, Void. But Void had left Earth.

Providence and her remaining teammates had lost their master and their purpose in life. So now the Cabal sought new purpose obeying Luthor's commands. But Providence had difficulty sensing Supergirl. It was as if she were from an alternate reality. She was, by her very nature, elusive and hard to get a hold of. But she would still have to die.

Devin was a full blooded Kherabim and a former sister in the warrior cult known as the Coda. She was by inclination and training effectively a Female Fury. So Devin had specifically singled out Barda as a test of her own mettle.

Devin appreciated Barda's silent assessment of her because Devin was doing the same. It would be a joyous battle to remember.

Pike was a human-Kherabim hybrid like so many others that had departed Earth. But the Kherabim had determined Pike was too unstable for their role in the conflict with the Daemonites so they rejected him. Lord Daemonite happily accepted him as a military strategist and chief enforcer. His superior strength and fighting skills had made him the ideal candidate for the role.

But now he faced Wildcat.

Taboo, the final member of the Cabal, and a hated one by the others at that, faced three opponents. April Amazing, Black Cat, and the Queen of Diamonds blocked Taboo's path. Taboo didn't have a clue to who any of the women were, but her vampiric armor wanted their blood and would give her all the power she needed to secure it. And she was even inclined to do it.

* * *

"So they sent the faithful soldier," Sister Superior remarked upon seeing Shield facing her down, "You and your so-called 'Mighty Crusaders' weren't on our warrant until you assisted the Justice League. Now the World Court amended its warrants to include you all."

"We couldn't let these people destroy Pittsburgh and when the Justice League came to help we couldn't stand by and let them carry the burden alone."

"Too bad for you. It's only going to cost you your lives," Sister Superior shrugged, showing off her cybernetic arms.

"You can't honestly believe the Justice League is guilty of those crimes," Shield debated her.

"It doesn't matter what I believe. But what I know is the League's high handed approach with my Elite just makes them want to hand the Justice League over to the World Court and wash their hands of the results," Sister Superior informed him.

"So this is about revenge for you," Shield realized.

"They also inadvertently caused the death of my brother, Manchester Black," Sister Superior accused.

"I'm sorry," Shield replied.

"Don't be. I would have had to kill him myself otherwise," Sister Superior told him.

"Look, I don't know you and I especially don't know your history but this is wrong," Shield stated.

"So you really won't walk away from this?" Sister Superior was incredulous.

"No, I won't," Shield pledged.

"Your loss," Sister Superior settled in to break the Shield.

* * *

Coldcast discharged electrical current from one hand to the other. It was impressive and Power Ring said as much.

"Look, Sweet Thang, I don't want to hurt you so just hand me that fancy ring of yo'rs," Coldcast offered.

"Couple of problems with that proposition," Jessica Cruz told him, "The ring is symbiotically fused to me and you'd have to cut my finger off to get it if it even let you try. And I'm not inclined to surrender to you or anyone else."

"Ouch! And here I thought we could keep it friendly," Coldcast complained.

"I've worked with Luthor so I know first hand what an egotistical sleaze he is. Why isn't he here himself doing his own fetch and carry work?" Jessica wanted to know.

"The man's busy. Let him be busy. You're my main thought at the moment. Why don't you keep the ring and surrender to stand trial just `cause it's the decent thing to do?" Coldcast wondered.

"Go to hell," Jessica retorted.

"Shoot, I didn't think you'd go for it," Coldcast built up an electromagnetic wave and unleashed it at Power Ring, "I tried. I honestly did."

* * *

"Hey! I can do that too," Menagerie sprouted metal wings out of the back of her armor. The metal tubing was filled with a membrane giving the wings substance.

War Eagle wore a vicious smile, "But can you fly?"

"As good as you," Menagerie insisted.

"We'll see, won't we?" War Eagle took flight and Menagerie followed. War Eagle flashed her talons and menagerie charged her hands with energy. War Eagle planned on testing every one of Menagerie's limits.

* * *

Hat was Japanese by birth but had been raised in the States by his shopkeeper parents. But they'd been plagued by local crooks as well as transplanted Yakuza. His parents had eventually been killed in a clash between Triads and the Yakuza on the streets of New York. Hat himself was taken in by Shinto monks who trained him in Shinto sorcery.

Like the alchemist sect of Taoism, Shinto had a segment devoted to animistic control over spirits and natural forces. Hat could sense that Hangman was all of the above and he instinctively detected the bond between Hangman and his crow, which meant Hangman was actually blind.

"The bird has to go," Hat decided, "My quarrel is not with you."

"Then leave this place," Hangman replied. Interestingly enough to Hat, the crow defied his instructions.

"We both know that creature isn't simply a crow," Hat tested Hangman's knowledge.

"Maybe or maybe not. But he is a spirit brother and my guide and he wants you to depart as much as I do," Hangman told him, "Let me tell you the truth behind Luthor's imperatives."

"I think I'd rather kill the crow," Hat determined.

"Then try if you must," Hangman sighed.

* * *

"You're even hotter in real life than those crappy YouTube sightings," Dreadbolt of the Terror Titans decided.

Huntress knew right then and there she wouldn't mind breaking a few of his bones just on general principle, "Oh really?"

"Yeah, but don't get me wrong. I'll torch you if I have to. But a blowjob could change my mind," Dreadbolt offered.

"I have a crossbow bolt with your name on it. Plus a dozen more besides," Huntress decided to screw the pleasantries.

"Then let's do this," Dreadbolt angrily said after the rejection.

* * *

Disruptor eyed her opponents. Spy Smasher used firearms not a gen active gift, so her nervous system could be disrupted but not her powers. Blackjack didn't even have the guns but he was still potentially a meta-human. The Marvel was just plain creepy in a Question kinda way. She decided she'd enjoy killing them all. But then again, she always enjoyed killing people.

Persuader cradled her Atomic Axe as she was surrounded by Talon, Hawkfire, and Batwoman, "I could take you all out with a single stroke or you could just walk away now and call it even."

"Can I count the ways you can go to hell?" Talon angrily sneered.

"Okay, but you chose this," Persuader began to pump herself up for action.

* * *

Blacksmith, the designated leader of the Rogues, was worried about Sand. He was a silicate life form and therefore might be immune to her ability to transmute flesh into organic metal and control it afterwards. But she'd bluster through somehow. She always had and always would.

Fox made a judgment call regarding Murmur. He decided anyone who sews their lips shut and brandished that wild look in their eye had to be flat butt crazy.

And so, Fox continued in his grand tradition of being a freak magnet. But he felt fairly confident. He had a _katana_ and a _nunchuk_ versus Murmur's scalpels. But Murmur didn't appear to be intimidated.

Which might simply be psychosis or it could be intimate knowledge of something hidden from Fox which tended to worry him. But he also knew he'd be forced to deal with the sociopath sooner rather than later. The code of _Bushido_ demanded it.

* * *

Plunder enjoyed his-self comparison with Black Hood: Both were armed to the teeth; they carried assault rifles, shotguns, pistols, knives, and probably even a few discrete grenades; and both wore customized body armor. It would be an epic fight and one Plunder looked forward to.

"What are you supposed to be?" Girder asked Steel Sterling.

Steel Sterling transmuted his flesh tones into revealing the biometal that made up his body, "Your cousin of sorts, I guess. We're both men of steel."

"Haw! I still outmuscle you, shrimp-o!" Girder bragged.

"Care to try that out and see for yourself?" Steel Sterling never wavered which made Girder nervous.

* * *

Flash raced to a halt before Magenta. She pouted, "You're not Wally."

"Frankie Kane?" Jay Garrick was horrified to find her here.

"The one and only. Can you say the same?" Magenta taunted Flash.

"You don't have to do this, Frankie," Flash advised her.

"I do, I really, really do," she warned him, "And the name's Magenta now."

* * *

Atom Smasher joined Hourman, Atom, and the Shining Knight as the wounded reserve. Atom Smasher was the least wounded, Hourman and Shining Knight required hospitalization, and Atom was still trying to shake off Tracer's assault.

Darkling was tasked with guarding them and in retrieving the Extremists. She couldn't fathom Latham's reasoning. One minute they threw her into harm's way then they babied her when she was needed most. Carol had been forced to explain that Darkling alone of all the Mighty Crusaders had the raw power to deal with an escaped Extremist.

That pacified Darla Lang but she still swore if she were sidelined without an explanation again, even the other Hangman who wasn't here could stop her from quitting the MLJ, Satan's hitman or not.

* * *

"Peek-a-boo," Cat-Girl snickered from behind Jaguar.

"So you're finally showing yourself," Jaguar studied the entrance to the base facility.

"Do you have a sudden craving to strip me naked and eat my…?" Cat-Girl began to ask.

Jaguar halted her in mid-sentence, "Yes. And it's really annoying."

"Because you've never felt that way about a woman before," Cat-Girl guessed.

"It's very confusing," Jaguar admitted.

"Welcome to hosting the Spirit of the Jaguar. My life was a wreck after the Cat Spirit chose me, but I learned to make do. My need to find and mate with a Jaguar got easier after your aunt died and the Jaguar chose you," Cat-Girl admitted, "At least you stand a better chance of understanding what I'm going through."

"But I don't want to give in to this," Jaguar protested.

"You don't have to," Cat-Girl told her, "But that choice might drive you crazy. I just don't know."

"Did you notice the people my team is fighting don't smell like people at all. I followed a trail of lubricant to reach here. And this is where the trail ends," Jaguar resumed studying the lock.

"Then let's go in," Cat-Girl offered.

"As in 'us'? Together?" Jaguar was suspicious.

"To be honest I don't ever want to leave your side but you're not ready for that. So at least let me help keep you safe," Cat-Girl pleaded.

"Um…right," Jaguar allowed.

"You lead and I will gladly follow," Cat-Girl promised.

* * *

"I know why they put me with you all," She-Fox bitterly complained, "It's all Fly Girl's fault."

"Hey! It's not like that," Comet protested, "Fly Girl is cool."

"She's not dating your ex," She-Fox pointed out.

"Well, there is that," Comet conceded.

"The plants are telling me our wayward pair just entered a building," Poison Ivy advised them all.

"You can talk to weeds?" Savant enthused, "That's incredible."

"No more than three thousand year old aliens living amongst us," Ivy said dryly.

"You're certain they went into that building up ahead?" Plastic Man sought clarification.

"I said so, didn't I?" Ivy crossly replied.

"That's a reserve JLU base set up when the League first became a UN chartered agency," Plas explained, "We received a briefing on it before we arrived."

"Then you know how to bypass the security to get us in," Savant surmised.

"I think someone already got in. And out," She-Fox pointed at the muddy tracks coming from the property.

"Uh…guys? I'm pretty sure those tracks belong to our baddies," Comet remarked.

"'Guys'? Really?" Ivy was insulted.

"They probably overwrote the security protocols if they've breached the building's interior," Plastic Man frowned.

"Then how do we get in?" She-Fox wondered.

"Simple," Ivy smirked, "We make our own door."

* * *

Darkling watched as the "Extremists" lost their lifelike appearance and began to literally fall apart. Atom Smasher was alarmed, "What they hell? They're dying."

"They were never alive," Darkling quickly deduced, "The real versions of them were at one time, I'm guessing. But Dreamslayer was a master sorcerer someone built him these robots and his magic brought them to a kind of life. I should have detected it earlier."

Carol had joined them,"Your powers are still new to you. There's no foul. They were beaten anyway even with the one called Dreamslayer animating them."

"But who built them and why?" Atom wondered.

"I was sent to Angor. There was an entire amusement park filled with these things. And they were all murderous," Darkling explained, "Obviously whoever built the park built these as well."

"But Angor is a dead world," Atom countered.

"And it still is," Darkling retorted.

"Could Dreamslayer have built these robots?" Jesse Quick stepped into the conversation.

"Highly unlikely," Shayera Hol inputted, "Anna said the Dreamslayer was a Chaos magician. I rather doubt Chaos would be building complex machinery. It's just antithetical."

"Then there may be someone else we haven't encountered yet," Atom Smasher deduced.

"And our team's looking for Jaguar and Cat-Girl are probably hot on the trail right now," Carol guessed.

* * *

The "JLA" kept Lady Flash hydrated and her blood glucose levels up. In under an hour she underwent a complete three week withdrawal from Velocity 9. She was now physically freed from its grip. But the psychological need was still there. And that could a lifetime to overcome.

Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova was resting and quietly conversing with Valentina Vostok. Killer Frost and Insect Queen were eavesdropping on the calls being made over Luthor's "secure" phone network. Tefe Holland was communing with nature while Blue Jay and the now awake Silver Sorceress shared a meal supplied by Tefe and Insect Queen. Neo Joker had expertly carved up the venison and was at a nearby lake collecting the fish Tefe lured to shore.

When Marian Drew returned to the day use cabin, she asked the unoccupied Killer Frost, "Question: if hikers stumble onto us, do I simply kill them and call it good?"

"I have hornets and wasps patrolling the area. No one is getting through. Even if they're panicked enough to wade through the swarms I command, Tefe has skunks strategically patrolling the trails," Insect Queen informed her.

"There goes my fun," Neo Joker complained.

"We don't need to be killing anyone," Killer Frost joined in.

"So you say now," Neo Joker pouted, "It wasn't always the case."

"I'm not afraid of bloodying my hands. But I want to have a good reason to," Killer Frost shared, "Hikers don't qualify."

"Fun isn't a good enough reason?" Neo Joker whined.

"Not anymore," Killer Frost informed her, "Not for me and certainly not for you."

"Well, we've determined that the Justice League Task Force has engaged the real Justice League," Insect Queen reminded Killer Frost.

"We need to finally contact Dr. Mist," Killer Frost decided.

* * *

"I understand," Dr. Mist marveled at how Valentina had created a transceiver for his errant team members replete with charged batteries, "But Max Lord has prohibited us from engaging the task force. Instead he wants us to merge with them and be his agents in place within Luthor's mob. But that doesn't mean we can't find and monitor the Legion of Doom."

" _Don't forget Libra and the Secret Society of Super Villains. They won't be closing shop just because Saturn Queen has gone missing. And there's still the Injustice Society to worry about,"_ Killer Frost reminded him.

"Libra has been actively recruiting under Lexy's nose," L-Ron joined the conversation.

" _I thought you were Max's pet stooge,"_ Killer Frost admitted.

"No siree bob, Snow Cone," L-Ron happily replied, "I have complete autonomy on how to complete my assigned tasks. And my discretion let's me let you run this little operation without interference and especially without reporting unnecessary details."

"Return when you can while we focus on finding our target groups with L-Ron's expert assistance," Dr. Mist told her.

"Did we leave anyone out?" Belphegor asked.

"Ya might wanna check out either Brain Emperor or the Global Trust," L-Ron felt helpful.

"You joking, little tin can," Molotov guffawed, "What is a 'Brain Emperor'?"

"There's always Intergang and the Syndicate Underground to investigate as well," L-Ron sounded irked.

" _Da_ , Pirate Blue bought a Soviet era _Kilo_ -class submarine from a rogue general. She has used it to plunder Russian shipping and ports. Her demise has been ordered at the highest level of our government," Bolshoi shared.

"We may be able to arrange for you to pursue her," Dr. Mist allowed.

"Her crew is entirely made up of women who love women," Hammer drooled.

"My brother is such a pig," Sickle apologized, "He thinks with his Richard."

"That's 'dick'," Red Star explained.

"Don't remind us of the years you spent abroad rather than defending the Motherland," Pravda advised him.

"Profitable years it seems now," Red Star replied.

"Enough with the bickering," Owlwoman snapped at everyone, "No wonder you people had problems after the Soviet collapse. We need to work together if we're to work at all."

"Then what do you want us to do, Littlebird?" Molotov sneered Wenonah's last name.

"We split into five teams with five targets of opportunity and we monitor and report on them all," Owlwoman told them.

"Good plan. I'm glad I thought of it," Molotov congratulated himself.

"And I'm glad you insisted on blending our various factions into mixed teams," Owlwoman wore a cold smile.

The People's Heroes all scowled. Molotov was predictably outraged, "The People's Heroes work together or not at all."

"It's little wonder you never accomplish anything," Red Star quipped.

Owlwoman glared at him. Dr. Mist and Belphegor felt their migraines beginning.

* * *

KitCat and Kenny Wisdom fed intelligence and data to Carol and her liaison counterparts to coordinate with the assembled federal and local agencies as well as the National Guard. But a staffer approached Latham, "Sir? We're detecting a breach in one of our offsite facilities."

"Which one?" the General asked.

"Eagle's Aerie," she reported, "We've never even sent a team to secure the site."

"Patch me into Eagle's Aerie," Latham told the staffer, "I'll take it in my office."

Latham's image appeared on Steve Trevor's monitor, _"Hello, Colonel. It's been awhile."_

"Since Team 7 still existed," Trevor agreed, "Now that you know where we are, what happens next?"

" _It's a funny thing, Col. Trevor. I have Presidential orders to engage you but they don't specify how. And without specific orders it's left to my discretion as how to accomplish that goal. So consider yourself engaged,"_ Latham told him, _"As your Justice League is discovering from my Mighty Crusaders. Unless I receive a direct order to detain you all, I'm choosing to work_ with _you rather than at cross purposes. And if I should receive that order, I'm sure the paper trail can be muddled long enough for you all to vanish again."_

"Thank you, General. And thanks for your team working beside mine," Trevor offered.

" _Are they? I must have misspoken. I'll forget that again as soon as this conversation concludes,"_ Latham chuckled.

"Again, it's appreciated," Trevor admitted.

" _Just clear your name,"_ Latham urged, _"And I have some thoughts on how my agency and my personnel can assist in that."_

"Do tell," Trevor requested.

* * *

Gwen Cormaugh ordered the reactivation of Task Force X. Nightshade posed an unanswerable question to King Faraday's elite intelligence unit attached to Belle Reve. Hack monitored Faraday's staff while running down Oracle's defenses on Gen. Sam Lane's behalf.

"Oracle is good but not good enough to keep me out," Hack promised, "I'll get your entrance window."

Gwen nodded as she turned to Col. Rick Flagg, "Will that be good enough?"

"It'll have to be," Flagg responded because he had no other choice.


	5. Chapter 5

35

Jakita Wagner's Majestic-level speed, strength, and durability put her on even footing with a Kryptonian or Daxamite especially with an Argoan like Power Girl's cloned DNA sprang from. Jakita was an equal for Kara In-Ze and she'd trained just as Supergirl had before her jaunt to the 31st Century and her training session with Karate Kid and Timber Wolf.

While Kara had been trained by the best to defeat weapons. Galatea _was_ a weapon. A weapon that had killed Lord Superman on Earth-2. A weapon created by CADMUS, honed by the Legion of Doom, and perfected by Black Adam. And Power Girl was tired of holding back against an unreasoning foe.

She dutifully blocked and deflected most of Jakita's blows, but even a seasoned fighter couldn't avoid every punch or kick. And Power Girl had simply had enough.

When Galatea had assumed the Power Girl identity, left behind by her Earth-2 counterpart, she'd vowed to find a better way. As Power Girl, Galatea had become a hero in most people's eyes and underneath it all, Power Girl retained her edge and the ability to not only kill but to inflict copious amounts of pain.

So she rerouted Jakita's next punch to coerce the Indian woman into throwing a backhand. Power Girl caught Jakita at the wrist and just below her elbow then she snapped the forearm.

Jakita howled with pain. Since her gen factor had been activated, she didn't believe she could really be hurt anymore. But Power Girl taught her that she could as she followed through with a knee into Jakita's rib cage that broke a few ribs. Then she stomped down to snap the gen active woman's knee. Finally, an elbow to the nose put Jakita Wagner down.

Power Girl used her X-Ray Vision to determine that Jakita's lungs weren't in jeopardy from the bones protruding in her thoracic region. There were no life threatening hemorrhages to drown the woman in her own blood or stroke her out. Having determined Jakita would survive, if incredibly humbled, Power Girl moved on to other affairs.

* * *

Where Brute had hammered away at every portion of Green Lantern's defense field, Ambrose Chase just brought immense gravity straight down upon John Stewart. John decided he could work with that. While he resisted Ambrose's overt attack, John created a hammer construct behind the Planetary agent and he walloped Ambrose with it.

It staggered him but he swiftly recovered, "Nice try, brother. But I'm as resilient as an Amazon."

So John encapsulated him in a construct bubble and rocketed it into orbit. Ambrose reacted by increasing John's gravity. Green Lantern responded by opening four holes in the construct walls.

Ambrose tried to bodily plug the holes but he could only manage to block two of them at a time. As the air ran out, he finally passed out. John returned to the atmosphere then set course for Pittsburgh.

* * *

Since Mr. Terrific's own meta-human gift was to be invisible to electronic surveillance and detection, the Drummer's seizure of the T-Sphere's didn't enable him to target the man. And the Drummer's own UAVs couldn't lay down a bombardment without harming the Drummer himself owing to his close proximity to the intended target.

Mr. Terrific assumed a boxing pose and brought the fight to the Drummer himself. Who bleated, "I give! I give already!"

Mr. Terrific used a one-two combo to knock him out anyway to spare himself future grief.

* * *

Sentinel and Threshold's battle of visible and invisible constructs escalated to the point where it damaged the Justice League Task Force's transport. Sentinel redirected the craft so that it landed atop Threshold. Threshold's telekinesis saved him from injury but the strain knocked him out.

Bliss screamed, "You bastard!"

Jade responded by attacking her own father. Sentinel immediately deduced that Bliss was the cause of his current misery. He could see the familial resemblance between Threshold and Bliss and he understood her rage. He'd feel the same if Jennie-Lynn Haden or Todd Rice were harmed. Or in Todd's case, if he turned again and fought the Justice League and the Justice Society. So Alan Scott had felt her pain.

It broke Sentinel's heart as Bliss whimpered after he knocked her out and fended off Jade simultaneously. Jade went limp after Bliss' psychic connection was severed. Sentinel cradled her and attempted to revive her.

"Wake up, Jennie-Lynn," Sentinel pleaded.

"Dad, I knew what was happening but she had her hooks into me," Jade whispered back, "Is this what happened with Todd?"

"I'm guessing it was a kind of seduction so it would be like what happened to your brother," Sentinel realized.

"We need to tell him we understand now," Jade urged.

"I think you're right," Sentinel agreed.

* * *

Dr. Mid-Nite quickly deduced that just as he was blind but could see through dark lenses or complete darkness, so too did Blind function in the absence of light. It seemed he also lacked any perception of color. His other senses didn't seem to be particularly acute with the noted exception of his hearing.

And it wasn't as though his hearing stood much beyond normal ranges but it was apparent his hearing functioned much in the way of a dolphin's echolocation or a bat's sonar. So theoretically, the image "seen" by Blind would be a black and white, grainy visual. Which also meant Dr. Mid-Nite was equipped to deal with his foe.

He avoided using flash bangs because they would also disrupt his own visual acuity, such as it was. But his remotely triggered cherry bomb styled firecrackers would wreak havoc with Blind's perceptions.

Blind reacted to the sounds of the firecrackers being randomly distributed. But he seemed blithely unaware of what had caused the noise. All lending credence to Dr. Mid-Nite's theories.

So Dr. Mid-Nite detonated another explosive and Blind turned to deal with what had to seem to be an overwhelming threat. And Dr. Mid-Nite dealt him a nearly crippling blow. Every time Blind began to react to Dr. Mid-Nite's attacks, he'd break off and trigger another firecracker. That resultant scrambling of his echo sense made Blind vulnerable to Dr. Mid-Nite attacking from yet another direction.

Eventually, Blind succumbed to the beatings. Dr. Mid-Nite checked his vitals to insure that the man wasn't permanently harmed. And then he bound Blind hands and feet to doubly insure his capture.

* * *

General Glory would have been the first to admit that the Doctor's drugs were beginning to have the desired effect. He was growing increasingly addled but he didn't let on to the doctor that was the case. It was holding out that the Doctor was an inferior hand to hand combatant.

In his desperation, the Doctor wielded a syringe filled with a compound he'd never had cause to use before. But General Glory wrestled the syringe out of the Doctor's hand and injected him in the neck with it. And then the Doctor entered a psychosis worthy of the late Scarecrow or Fright's talents.

It was a mercy when General Glory knocked the Doctor out, then he took a moment to recuperate.

* * *

Inferno really began to believe the Engineer would scrap him. Even using holographic disguises didn't help him because the Engineer always tracked him down and penetrated the disguise seconds before reacquiring him as a target. But so far, Inferno hadn't used his pyrokinetic power against the Engineer.

Inferno could believe the Engineer really was a cybernetic organism. Machinery met flesh and were bonded and fused together. The machinery was largely immune to fire, Inferno guessed. But the organics were exceptionally vulnerable. Especially since they were generally vital organs.

So Inferno reluctantly ignited Engineer and watched as the man's flesh was incinerated. Inferno had to give the cyborg credit, he didn't scream until it was too late to reverse the process. And the Engineer slowly died.

* * *

High attacked Superman with every power at this disposal. Including "ultra vision" whch was akin to heat vision and "penetra vision" which was a form of X-Ray vision used to locate Superman when he attempted to set up an ambush. High had lived for over thirty years fighting a seemingly never ending war, so his martial skills vastly surpassed Superman's.

But once again, Power Girl came to assist him. Her right cross hurled High out of Pittsburgh. Using his recovery time to her advantage, she roused Superman.

"You really need to take lessons from Barda," she advised.

"I know," Superman sounded guilty, "We'll work together?"

Power Girl noted the hope in his voice, "That would be a pleasant surprise."

The comment stung Superman but he knew full well that he deserved the sarcasm. Power Girl spent precious seconds outlining a plan of attack. Then she caught High as he streaked towards them and spun him in a figure eight straight into the ground.

Apparently High recognized Power Girl, "This isn't your fight."

"You made it my fight," Power Girl corrected him.

Working in conjunction with each other, they defeated High. Afterwards Superman offered a standing place in the Justice Unlimited for her. She seemed amused.

"You do realize your merry little band are considered the world's most sought after criminals?" Power Girl asked mirthfully.

"It certainly seems that way," Superman grimly realized.

"I'm not dismissing the idea out of hand but I have a lot on my desk right now," Power Girl told him.

Clark Kent's investigative instincts found it odd Power Girl should use a corporate expression in a very meaningful way.

* * *

Rite wielded magical totems and weapons easily enough to augment her spell casting. Anna Fortune created shields and barriers but refrained from summoning weapon forms. Her spell cannon would be sufficient enough. _If_ she could get an opportunity to use it that was.

Finally, Anna managed to push Rite back. Rite chuckled, "Blondie has some talent after all."

"Say good night," Anna aimed her arm at Rite and triggered the cannon. The self enclosed spell contained within the spell casting activated and energized as it hurtled towards Rite. It disarmed Rite of her weaponry and her magic.

"Wha…what? I don't understand," Rite found she couldn't even utter a spell much less harness one.

"It's simply a binding spell. An extremely powerful binding spell. One I wouldn't have time to conjure in combat. So I store them safely away in a casing as shown to me by a Lord of Order," Anna dispensed the wisdom knowing Rite wouldn't retain it, "But I have time enough for this additive."

Anna conjured up mystical chains that bound Rite to the pavement, "Take time to reflect because you aren't going anywhere until I release you."

"Ta ta," Anna waved as she left an infuriated Rite behind.

* * *

"You can't stop me," the cloud malevolently chuckled, "I'm Smoke."

"So you're bad for your own health?" Vibe remarked. He watched as a piece of rebar seemingly pulled itself out of the rubble. Smoke's billowy form masked Gypsy's shadow.

"Let's try this then," Vibe aimed a hand at one of Smoke's pistols and it shook apart.

"That still won't save you!" the spectral voice started to cackle.

The piece of rebar smacked the pistol out of the air and Vibe rattled that one apart as well. Smoke was indignant, "I don't know who or what you are but prepare to choke!"

Gypsy began hacking and coughing as her lungs were assaulted. Vibe was enraged, "No one messes with my girlfriend!"

Then Vibe applied his power to Smoke's vapory form. Smoke screamed as red lightning flashed within the cloud. Gypsy backed away but remained unharmed. Smoke reverted to normal.

"How…how did you do that?" he pleaded.

"Don't know and I don't really care," Vibe admitted as he unleashed his powers again and Smoke passed out.

"You okay?" Vibe asked Gypsy.

"Yeah," she seemed a little dreamy eyed, "So…did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Vibe worried.

"About me being your girlfriend," Gypsy clued him in.

"Yeah! I mean…if that's cool with you," Vibe tried to sound poised and coolly collected but he utterly failed.

"It's sooo fine with me," Gypsy grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him in for what would be an epic first kiss for Vibe.

She let him go and he practically swooned, "Wow! I mean, I really enjoyed that."

Gypsy smirked, "I could learn to like it too."

"What?" Vibe fretted, "Am I a bad kisser. Oh god, I'm a horrible kisser."

"You were awesome," Gypsy freely admitted, "After all, you're Cisco Ramone, the man I lo… _like_. How could it be bad?"

"Y'do realize we have to babysit this guy," Vibe mentioned, "Anyone else deals with him and he'll simply _pfft_."

"You know what I used to fantasize about when I babysat?" Gypsy sounded intrigued.

"You were what? Fourteen? When you ran away from home?" Vibe found this dubious.

"I was young and industrious," Gypsy corrected him, "And the locals let me watch their kids when they realized the gangs left their neighborhood when I arrived."

"The same happened when you came to Miami," Vibe recalled.

"But your brother Armando led the gang and you kept him from going batshit crazy with his powers trying to find me," Gypsy reminded him.

"Yeah, good times," Vibe wistfully recalled.

"We'll get through our usual crisis and then we'll have more good times," Gypsy promised.

"I'm already having a good time," Vibe told her.

"Yeah, me too," she brightened, "Is it any wonder I lo… _like_ you?"

Gypsy sat beside him and rested her head on her shoulder while he wrapped a protective arm around her. And she knew there was no _like_ about it. She was smitten with him.

* * *

Fly Girl decided to examine the wreckage of the Justice League Task Force transport. The design seemed hauntingly familiar. When she got inside and began examining the systems, she knew why. LexCorp had changed the externals but the internal specifications were all as originally designed and it really pissed her off.

* * *

"Quit trying to touch me, you pervert!" Black Mary growled at Eidolon.

"I don't understand. This has never happened to me before," Eidolon admitted with some confusion and embarrassment.

"Lots of guys have face performance anxiety when they can't get it up," Black Mary scoffed.

"I don't fail!" Eidolon roared, "Without my mission and the ability to carry it out, I have nothing."

"Get used to it," Black Mary snorted.

"You're an impudent young woman, aren't you?" Eidolon woefully acknowledged.

"Never used to be but I kinda like it now," Black Mary confessed.

"I have things to consider and issues to ponder," Eidolon decided.

"So get lost," Black Mary dismissed him, "I don't care if I ever see you again. In fact, I'd rather not."

"We will meet again, Mary Batson. Only next time events will go my way," Eidolon warned her.

"Good, `cause if I see you coming, I'll rip your leg off and beat you to death with it," Black Mary stated.

"Life or death. Either is preferable to this," Eidolon declared before he faded away.

"Why didn't he just say so at the beginning?" Black Mary fumed.

* * *

Rose Tattoo had to admit Artemis was a good Wonder Woman. Too damn good for her own benefit. Rose Tattoo had never fought Diana but she had faced down Hippolyta when she was the Wonder Woman during World War II. Even then, Rose Tattoo had lost.

Rose Tattoo knew Diana had discovered she had never lost her immortality to Superman. She wasn't completely human even by Amazonian standards. Hippolyta had repeated intercourse with Hades and Diana was the result. Since Hades wasn't mortal, the Greco-Roman goddesses had spared Hippolyta from aging, but it did disgrace her amongst them. Hence their decree that Diana would never know who her father truly was.

But now Diana knew the truth and Artemis wore the tiara. She was the fiercest Amazon Rose Tattoo had ever encountered. And that said a lot. Rose Tattoo marveled at Artemis' relentless nature. It reminded her of herself.

But enough was enough, so Rose Tattoo backed away and raised her hands, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I give already."

Artemis had the tip of her sword in Rose Tattoo's throat, "Speak plainly."

"I'll be going now, Chicky Baby. See ya!" and Rose Tattoo abruptly vanished.

Artemis slumped, "It's about damn time."

* * *

Providence finally deduced why Supergirl seemed so…odd. She wasn't Kara In-Ze and she wasn't from the Prime Universe. So that meant her startling powers were understandable. Matrix was a different kind of Supergirl than Providence had been briefed on. It would also explain why Supergirl had joined the Conglomerate and changed into a far more modest outfit.

On top of everything, the Orb of Power that empowered Providence had fathomed out that Matrix was an artificial life form. So given all of that, all of Providence's assumptions regarding what to expect were drastically skewed towards another being. So Providence decided to simply save time and throw every iota of energy she could muster at Supergirl.

Which simply meant Supergirl had an opportunity to display her near-Kryptonian speed. Then she simply vanished.

Providence was beginning to wonder if Supergirl were really a Martian. But the Orb insisted Matrix wasn't a natural life form nor was she from this universe. Supergirl reappeared directly in front of Providence. Her already impressive strength was bolstered by her telekinetic "push field" that augmented her physical attribute by a factor of ten. And that single punch rattled Providence to the point of wanting to withdraw.

Supergirl's force vision just reinforced Providence's pet theory that she was facing either a previously unknown Green Martian refugee or a White Martian scout of some kind. But the eye blast smashed Providence into a previously unmolested building and knocked her out. Supergirl twisted a lamppost around Providence and went on her way unawares that the Cabal member would simply teleport away as soon as she awoke.

* * *

Devin was having the time of her life and she strongly suspected Barda felt the same way. Zealot's great crime against the Coda had been breaking the law of chastity. A slanted law that forbade sexual liaisons with men but anything was permissible with another Kherabim woman. It was the fine print of the latter point that had earned Devin her exile.

She'd had frequent sex with a human woman. A human woman hosting a Daemonite. So she'd literally been sleeping with the enemy. And the Coda Counselors didn't look favorably upon it.

After her exile, Devin's lover passionately implored Lord Daemonite to take the Coda warrior on as an agent. He'd delightedly done so. Devin was a frequently used assassin in the aeons old struggle between the Daemonites and the Kherabim. Eventually Providence and Pike were added to her ranks followed lastly by Taboo.

Devin found herself madly attracted to Barda. Which judging by her past encounters with Knockout, implied the Female Furies weren't particularly biased when it came to genders. But Devin was committed to killing Barda as well. She wondered if she could seduce Barda then kill her? It was worth a try.

Devin preferred the Coda blade spear as her personal weapon. It was one part sword, spear, and pike all in one. And Devin had been one of the Coda's premier experts in its use before her exile began.

And while Barda was proving adept at not getting killed, Devin had to wonder what the New God was avoiding the use of her mega wand. Devin knew Barda had trained the elite Female Furies so her holding back meant she was toying with Devin for some unfathomable reason.

Devin stepped back and planted her blade spear haft first in the ground, "Parlay!"

"Would you care to surrender?" Barda asked.

"I wish to withdraw," Devin admitted, "I'm beginning to doubt my orders and besides, despite your own reluctance to engage me, eventually I would begin fighting you. And frankly, I don't want to risk killing you."

"You really think I'm the one that would die, Coda?" Barda asked.

"I'd rather not find out," Devin shared, "So I'll gather mine and leave yours to it. You have problems enough without us interfering."

"Any particular problems I should know about?" Barda asked.

"Watch the news. The Legion of Doom is prepping to engage a foe that has conquered Earths-9 and -10 before their destruction," Devin told her.

"You already know about the fate of the Multiverse," Barda was dismayed.

"Luthor knows and he shared with the Cabal I belong to. He wanted our teleporter to find him a safe haven should this final Earth be destroyed along with the rest," Devin stated.

"Go. You have your wish," Barda agreed.

"Maybe a kiss before I leave?" Devin hoped.

"Only with a broken jaw to go with it," Barda growled.

"Another time then," Devin moved off. She'd gather Providence and Pike, if possible. Taboo could make her own way out.

Barda pondered Devin's revelations. It seemed Luthor was distracting the Justice League from a great many things.

* * *

Pike had laid down his arms to fight Wildcat fist to fist. And despite an extended lifetime of training and Martian-level strength, Wildcat had put him down three times. No matter what Wildcat's legendary credentials were, it was insulting. He spat blood and was about to rise to delay defeat once more when Devin crossed her dual blade spears around Wildcat's throat.

"My ally and I are leaving," she informed him, "You will allow this."

"Or what?" Wildcat asked evenly.

"Speak with Barda. She will explain our arrangement," Devin sheathed a blade spear on her back and held the other ready but in a neutral pose.

"I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt fer Barda's sake," Wildcat allowed.

Devin pulled Pike back onto his feet. Wildcat interrupted their exit, "Junior's weapons stay here. Non-negotiable."

"Very well. We'll just find Providence and be on our way," Devin conceded.

Pike wasn't mollified.

* * *

Taboo was successfully fending off Black Cat, the Queen of Diamonds, and April Amazing simultaneously. She'd disarmed and destroyed April Amazing and Queen of Diamonds' weapons. Black Cat was proving to be a greater nuisance.

She was naturally agile and knew how to fight unarmed. April Amazing was tenacious and equally athletic. But the Queen was little more than a spectator at that point.

But Taboo's armor detected Providence's teleportation effect. Which meant the rest of the Cabal was with her. And they'd left Taboo behind. Which totally pissed her off.

So in a rage, Taboo fought off Black Cat and April Amazing while the Queen of Diamonds simply let her walk away. Black Cat and April Amazing pursued her some distance before Taboo left them behind. When they returned to the scene of their fight, the Queen had some disparaging words to say.

"She didn't have to break off. She had every advantage," she announced.

"We weren't doing too badly," Black Cat insisted.

"No, she's right. That woman could handed us our collective asses. But she chose to end the fight without doing so," April Amazing hated to admit. It pissed the heiress named Brenda Boyle off to no end.

* * *

Sister Superior found her bionic arms delivered useless blows against the Shield's nanotech based armor. But his exposed jaw and scalp were both decidedly vulnerable. But the goody-goody soldier-boy just wouldn't retreat.

"Look, I don't want to fight you," Sister Superior repeated.

"Then stop doing it," Shield sounded exasperated.

"I will break your jaw just to start with," Sister Superior threatened.

"No, you won't," and Shield had saved up his riot stun charge to disable both of her arms. Sister Superior responded by implying he had sexual relations with his own mother.

"I actually did hate to do that but I need you to listen," Shield told her.

She tried a round kick which he caught her leg and held it, "There's more going on here than any of us."

"Do tell," she sneered. So Shield did just that.

* * *

Coldcast unleashed wave after wave of electromagnetic energy at Power Ring. But Jessica Cruz had learned from hard won experience fighting Cloudburst with Dr. Diehard at his side. It seemed almost impossible to believe they'd just been animatronics animated by a magic spell.

The Ring of Volthoom found Coldcast's greatest fear and unleashed a construct version of it. It turned out to be Coldcast's own beheaded brother. A happenstance that made Jessica feel lousy.

Coldcast devoted all of his energy to trying to fend the construct off. Doubling down, Power Ring also created a construct bubble sealed around Coldcast's head. He asphyxiated and passed out. Jessica didn't envy him either the headache he'd have or the nightmares he probably would have.

* * *

As promised, War Eagle tested the limits of all of Menagerie's abilities, including her energy projection power. When Menagerie had seemingly depleted all of her reserves, War Eagle swooped in for the kill. Menagerie panicked.

"Wait! You know what it's like to be different from what people expect from you because they think you're a freak," Menagerie pleaded.

Theresa Shane did know…rather intimately in fact, "Walk away or fly if you still can."

"Wh…what?" Menagerie was confused.

"Go!" War Eagle shouted at her impatiently, "Or I really will kill you."

Menagerie couldn't fly it turned out but she managed a brisk walk. War Eagle flew off to seek out Special Agent Carol Anne Strander and the JLU support team.

* * *

Hat was growing frustrated. Unlike his hellspawn namesake, this Hangman's powers were more akin to his own. Using his medicine pouch magics, riding atop a cloud, and using a crow's eyes to replace his blinded ones, Hangman was twisting Hat's conjuring back upon him. Even the damn crow was more than a mere bird.

Hat's _Shinto_ sorcery relied upon animistic spirits found in nature. An entire city of steel, glass, and concrete hampered his powers to near nothingness. Hat decided enough was enough.

"Halt!" he commanded Hangman, "I am done here and I am leaving this place. Try and detain me at your own peril."

"We both know the threat is meaningless," Hangman floated to the ground and his cloud evaporated, "And if you'd wished to leave, all you've had to do at any time is ask to."

"I will return for my comrades. See to it no harm comes to them," a whirlwind surround Hat and he flew into the clouds above to disappear in a flash of sheet lightning.

Hangman's crow landed on his shoulder and cawed. Hangman retrieved a morsel from the medicine pouch and fed it to the bird, "Yes, that was quite impressive."

* * *

Dreadbolt was in intense pain…in several locations. Huntress had not only effectively disabled him with her crossbow quarrels but she'd also managed to deduce where his suit's generators and controls were located at. And the fact she'd put crossbow bolts through them as well as his body simultaneously was just an additive the Huntress seemed to enjoy.

Dreadbolt was actually relieved when she took the time to knock him out. Then she decided to make the rounds and check on the less experienced Birds of Prey.

* * *

Disruptor was whipped into a frenzy. Blackjack was too fast to catch with her gauntlets so she couldn't kill him with a touch. And the Marvel turned out to be armed to the teeth like Spy Smasher. They kept Disruptor at bay by shooting her full of holes. Finally she passed out from the cumulative blood loss.

"Get those damn gloves off of her!" Spy Smasher barked the order.

Blackjack found himself complying without really knowing why he did so.

* * *

Persuader quickly forgot about Batwoman and Hawkfire in the face of the threat called Talon. In fact, Persuader was struggling just to stay alive against Helena Wayne, daughter of the late Lincoln March. Then Talon got reckless in her rage.

The swipe across the abdomen didn't spill her guts all over simply because Talon's body armor came equipped with a compression vest built into it. She immediately activated the vest as soon as the wound was inflicted. She had delivered similar wounds in the past and knew the peril of her present circumstance.

Hawkfire dragged Talon out of the line of fire while Batwoman fought against Persuader and her Atomic Axe. Hawkfire pulled every medical supply out of her utility belt and searched Talon's as Helena passed out. All she found were Helen's knives and other assorted edged weapons. Hawkfire promised herself to sternly lecture Talon later if she survived.

Katrina Moldoff held her own against Persuader. A fact which surprised Persuader drastically more than it did Batwoman. But in the middle of the fight, a green sphere enveloped Persuader. And then she simply vanished.

"What the hell was that all about?" Hawkfire called to Batwoman.

"I have no idea," Batwoman admitted, "Can Green Lantern rings teleport people?"

"Not that I know of," Hawkfire was busy stitching up Talon, "I could really use some help here."

"We need professionals," Batwoman assessed the wound, "Her vest is all that kept her from being disemboweled."

"She'll still blame us for Axe Woman's escape," Hawkfire predicted with near certainty.

"But she'll be laid up and won't be doing much about it except bitch, bitch, bitch," Batwoman laughed.

"You're right, we need help," Hawkfire conceded.

"I'll be back," Batwoman promised.

* * *

In the end it wasn't Sand's silicate body or his gas gun that undid Blacksmith. Instead it was his geokinetic power. The earth swallowed her up to her neck and left her there while Sand summoned police assistance.

Fox was careful approaching Murmur with his wild swings. Fanatics were often lucky in their desperation so Fox had to abandon a measured approach to the problem. It still took longer than he anticipated because of the psychotic fervor that drove Murmur on.

Plunder wasn't disappointed in Black Hood as an opponent. Black Hood had near unerring accuracy and a preternatural awareness of his opponent's intention that made it seem he had prophetic gifts at getting out of the line of fire.

They settled in for a knife fight when a cloud sprayed over Plunder's head and he fell asleep. Sand stood by the body looking disapproving, "What the hell is wrong with you? We catch bad guys. We don't skewer them."

"Long story," Black Hood salvaged what he could from Plunder's armaments.

Sand felt there was something terribly wrong with Black Hood.

* * *

For all of Girder's impressive bulk outshining Steel Sterling, the Mighty Crusader proved to be the stronger of the two. Steel Sterling's biometal skin wasn't covered in corrosion like Girder's so he had a much greater freedom of movement.

Girder's eyes bulged when Steel Sterling's hand became a massive sledgehammer head and clanged Girder's head. Girder went down with barely a whimper and curled into the fetal position. Steel Sterling restored his human appearance.

"Stay down, big guy. Then I won't have to hit you again," Steel Sterling offered.

Girder vaguely felt ashamed over trying to kill Steel Sterling.

* * *

Magenta knew what the Flash was up to. Back when Wally West was Kid Flash and Barry Allen had been the Flash, Wally had done the same trick on more than one occasion. Jay Garrick was spinning around Francis Kane to suck the oxygen away from her. And the damnable part was that it worked.

Jay caught Magenta's limp form, "Easy, Frankie. I've got you."

Flash was tender not only because of her past relationship with Wally but because of her history with mental illness.

* * *

Carol Anne Strander and Shayera Hol gathered the respective teams. Roxy had piggybacked KitCat and Kenny Wisdom's connection to the mobile command. Shayera briefed the teams on their recent discoveries regarding the nature of the Extremists.

"I can't believe they were all robots," Superman's aching jaw was still dubious.

"Angor is a dead world," Darkling reported, "There were mass graves alongside the properly buried. The Meta-Militia, the Assemblers, and a bunch of Champions of Angor were all ceremonially buried as well. The entire population of the planet was dead. The only inhabitants were animatronic robots with a murderous bent."

"But if this Dreamslayer animated the robots, why would he do that?" Gypsy asked.

"I guess he got lonely for his friends," Darkling offered.

"Blue Jay and the Silver Sorceress would probably say he deserved to be," Green Lantern opined.

"He is the Lords of Chaos' problem now," Anna Fortune revealed, "Which is quite fitting."

"But Fly Girl brought us other disturbing news," Carol warned them all.

"I looked over the transport these jokers arrived in and it looked disturbingly familiar. Which it should. I designed the bucket," Fly Girl revealed, "I designed it for the Web's benefactor, John Raymond. The design outline was to develop a transport for what would eventually become the Web Agency. But Raymond had dealings with other major industrialists. Including Mercy Corp. But, oddly enough, the constructed vessel has LexCorp stampings."

"Which means LexCorp divisions still exist under Mercy Corps' umbrella," Shayera laid it out.

"So Mercy Graves is responsible," Black Hood surmised.

"Not necessarily," Jesse Quick shifted her weight, "Mercy has brought most of LexCorp under heel and into full transparency. But the corporation is huge and she can't monitor everything."

"So Luthor has set up his own manufacturing base within Mercy Corp," Barda deduced.

"So Graves _is_ responsible," Black Hood insisted.

"It's just not that simple," Jesse argued.

"We may never know how or when Luthor obtained Fly Girl's design but we do know Luthor had it built and probably without Mercy Graves knowing about it," Carol told everyone.

"So where are our missing members?" Huntress asked.

"We sent a team to track down the missing Jaguar and Cat-Girl," Shayera explained.

"They're probably rolling in catnip by now," Black Hood groaned.

"Jaguar is young and easily confused by the unnatural passions Cat-Girl brings out of her," War Eagle warned him to back off.

* * *

"I don't like this," Jaguar whispered as she and Cat-Girl prowled throughout the JL-Pittsburgh facility.

"That seems to be a constant refrain with you," Cat-Girl observed, "You're the Jaguar. Embrace the totality of your life."

"When I embrace it, people die," Jaguar retorted.

"Maybe they should," Cat-Girl shrugged.

"Why are you here again?" Jaguar sharply asked Cat-Girl.

"I'm only here because you are," Cat-Girl seemed to have to explain this concept every ten seconds.

"Ah, a lover's quarrel," Carny's throne emerged from the shadows, "Please continue and don't let me interrupt."

"We're definitely not a couple,' Jaguar insisted.

"At least not yet," Cat-Girl blurted.

"When the others reach us, we can begin," Carny promised as cages formed around Jaguar and Cat-Girl, "But I'm afraid I have to separate you two."

"Good," Jaguar huffed.

"The things I do for sex," Cat-Girl complained.

* * *

Poison Ivy planted an acorn and told it to grow. It grew right through the foundation and an outer wall of JL-Pittsburgh. Savant was the most affected by the sight.

"That's very…impressive." Savant admitted.

"It's a start. I could grow an entire garden on these grounds," Ivy was nonchalant, "Plastic Man, you know the grounds so you're on point. Comet, as the big studly man you are, you're rearguard. Ladies, you're with me in the center."

"Shouldn't we at least vote or something?" Comet was uncertain.

"You don't need a vote. You have me," Ivy assured him.

"Wonderful," Comet muttered under his breath. Ivy just smirked to herself.

* * *

"So that's the gist of what we've eavesdropped so far," Killer Frost told Dr. Mist over a burner cell phone Neo Joker had given to the operation, "Someone called 'Degaton' has called Luthor out. And he's spending most of his air time talking to an Arvell Hauser, a Candace Zither, and one Dr. Clarissa Clemens."

"I know her!" Valentina Vostok blurted.

"Hold on, Doc," Killer Frost turned to Val, "Spill it."

"Clemens was Dr. Martin Stein's wife. Stein accidently created and was part of Firestorm. Clemens weaponized the program for the Anglo-Gallic program," Valentine told them all, "But the program is a failure because each Firestorm and Firehawk has a portion of the power potential of the original Firestorm or Firehawk."

"What does Clemens get out of the deal?" Killer Frost asked before Dr. Mist could.

"The science?" Val guessed.

"I'm not buying it," Neo Joker interrupted, "No one creates a weapon program just for science. Clemens is expecting a massive payoff somewhere into this."

"What kind of payoff would we be talking about here?" Insect Queen worried.

"Something on her bucket list. She's a nuclear physicist. Other than reactors, atomic and hydrogen bombs, and Firestorms, what else could she do with her specialty?" Neo Joker recited.

"But what else can she expect from it?" Tefe Holland asked.

"She can turn the Earth into a radioactive wasteland like Angor became. And she can devise a means of surviving that and even prospering," Silver Sorceress broke her long silence.

"And the so-called Nuclear Men and Women will thrive," Blue Jay predicted.

"We're in such deep shit,' Lady Flash made her own prediction.

Dr. Mist and Belphegor remained at JL-Antarctica to direct their Justice League's movements while Kid Impala remained behind with them to serve as their first, and only, line of defense against more unexpected intruders.

"Everyone is in place," Belphegor told Dr. Mist.

"Begin the operation," he ordered.

"Everyone is in place _except_ for me," Kid Impala bitterly complained.

"We have been over this," Mist sighed, "Belphegor and I are quite powerful but even so we require assistance in the face of a Justice League Task Force or other such miscreants."

"I understand but I don't have to approve or even like it," Kid Impala stated truthfully.

Dr. Mist and Belphegor had to concede on that point. Dr. Mist decided to change the subject, "Whatever the case may be, Killer Frost's news is disturbing."

"Maybe we should start checking in with our teams," Belphegor suggested.

"Begin with Bludhaven," Dr. Mist decided.

* * *

Beneath the Trans Noble Equity building in Bludhaven, Lex Luthor conspired with his generals. The Other had returned and made his report, "Our field operatives are getting into place around the former Hall of Justice. Which proudly bears the Nazi eagle and the swastika."

"Remind Signalman to simply observe until he receives further orders," Luthor instructed.

"What about the Brain? He is ostensibly in command," the Other dryly inquired.

"Let the preening ashcan think what he wants as long as it keeps him quiet," Luthor dismissed any consideration of the point.

"Between the Sivanas and the Shaggy Man, that team has more than enough muscle behind it," Mr. Mind pointed out.

"Don't forget Bizarro Girl," Luthor let go of a nasty chuckle.

"Security is identifying a perimeter breach," Ultra-Humanite advised those present.

"Put Lady Vic in charge of our response," Luthor ordered, "She's been bored lately."

But being placed in tactical command did little to relieve Lady Vic's boredom. The mercenary commanded the Legion of Doom's response from the Trans Noble security office. Atomica was her second on the field. Most of the remaining Legionnaires were anxious to prove themselves worthy of their hire. Blissfully unaware, unlike Lady Vic and Atomica, that their admission into the Legion of Doom was merely a pretense to have available cannon fodder for moments such as these.

4-D could sense Clock King's temporal distortions even before she could visually see him. Strangely enough because Clock King had simply been a man driven by precision timing before. Now he seemed to command the elements of time itself.

But 4-D herself commanded fourth dimensional energies. One of which was chronal energy, but she was still cautious in her approach not knowing what other surprises he might hold in store for her.

Sparrow Hawk took flight and practically begged Owlwoman to do the same. Oddly enough though, Sparrow Hawk didn't immediately engage Owlwoman in combat. Instead she flew a veritable obstacle course through Bludhaven's skyline.

Owlwoman had never visited the city before so everything was new to her. And she knew she should have been there earlier in the week to attend Ulla Paske's wedding to Dick Grayson. Something that gnawed at her as she tracked Sparrow Hawk down.

Sandstorm became a living embodiment of his namesake and threw himself at Giganta. But she exceeded three hundred feet high. She began clapping to generate wind gusts that threatened to blow Sandstorm apart.

Cascade formed a bubble of living water around Reverse Flash. He attempted to erode her presence through friction as he ran through Bludhaven's streets. But she stubbornly clung to him despite losing volume as he ran.

* * *

"I hear you're more of those international Batman pretenders," Blackwing challenged Knight and Squire, "You even come replete with your own Batman and Robin thematic element."

"You sound jealous," Squire pointed out.

"Your type merely sickens me," Blackwing scoffed.

"Then you shouldn't mind a little combat," Knight was still irritated at being called away from his mission to find Beryl Hutchinson.

"I relish the opportunity to kill you both," Blackwing boasted.

* * *

Atomica stood by until Lady Vic's attention was squarely focused on the Legion's efforts outside the Trans Noble building. Then she shrank and used the ventilation system to go outside. A move which Lady Vic had already anticipated.

Pulse 8 used energy discharges to dissipate Volcana's flames. But the flames were unnatural and burned seemingly without any fuel but oxygen itself. Volcana was hidden behind a fiery wall. She spread flaming destruction and terror up and down the streets in an effort to draw out Pulse 8. He hated himself but he was going to disappoint her.

* * *

Lady Lunar floated above the street near Tundra standing her ground. Lady Lunar had to admit, "I don't know what you think you'll accomplish."

"Just enough," the Russian-born Tundra replied.

"Feel that?" Lady Lunar asked, "I've tripled gravity all around you. There's more to come, I promise you."

"Beware of promises," Tundra grated.

A blizzard suddenly enveloped Lady Lunar. The icy winds and snow cut through Lady Lunar's bare legged costume, "What the effin' hell?"

The storm began to intensify and ice daggers formed in the winds. Lady Lunar attempted to climb above the storm but realized Tundra had similar powers to Killer Frost. But where Killer Frost had minute control, Tundra blanketed large swathes. Lady Lunar decided killing Tundra was her only hope of relief.

* * *

Casey Krinsky stood by while Lady Vic dispatched Legionnaires to quell rising conflicts. Casey didn't mind her role as backup, unlike Atomica. Casey's primary ability was to siphon powers from meta-humans. Secondly, her skin was durable to the point of near invulnerability. Which made Casey a potent secondary weapon.

* * *

"Ya'd better step back, Miss Purple Hair. My magic lantern will show ya a thing or two if ya don't," Jack O'Lantern warned Tala.

Tala was more concerned with the edges of Tundra's storm effect. The dangers of wearing a gown into battle, she supposed. But she was annoyed by Jack's threat.

"Do you really think you could harm me even if you wanted to?" Tala asked him.

"Look, I'm just gonna make a little fiery cage around ya," Jack told her, "Try not ta move."

Tala snapped her fingers and the magical cage was snuffed out, "You're not the only magic user here."

"Aw hell," Jack groaned.

* * *

Atomic Skull looked over Glob, "What're you supposed to be?"

"I'm Glob," he answered.

"Hey, you said it and not me," Atomic Skull retorted.

"You might as well give up," Glob advised him, "You can't hurt me."

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't try anyway," Atomic Skull told him.

"Knock yourself out," Glob chuckled.

Atomic Skull fired a radioactive flame blast at Glob. Which hurt him far more than he let on so Atomic Skull changed tactics, "Let's try something a little more direct."

He punched Glob and his fist sank into the man's corpulence.

"Mother may I!" Atomic Skull yelped, "Ew!"

* * *

Lady Vic was pleased with the initial results of her team coming in contact with the former Ultramarine Corps. Of course Lady Vic recognized them. The "renegade" general, Sam Lane, had approached her about joining his Meta-Human Response Division before Luthor eventually hired her.

Gen. Lane was quite close to his favorites arms dealers and manufacturers. So he was in bed with Arvell Hauser and Caldwell Arms along with the MARS Corporation and its joint venture subsidiary, ARMS Control. Rumor had it another disgraced US Army general, one Marian Higgins who was Joe Higgins' uncle, had personally made the introductions between Lane and the MARS Corp's Board of Directors.

Lane and Luthor were cooperating now that Luthor was the Global Policy Advisor. He and Lane could commiserate over their mutual hatred of all things Superman and the Justice League Unlimited. And could feud over the fact Bizarro Lois had chosen working with Luthor over Lane.

Lady Vic knew about hatred, she'd been born into the British nobility with all the debt that entailed. Her mother had demanded she be brought up a proper lady. Her career military father taught her strategy and the ways of war, utterly scandalizing her mother.

But eventually even the sale of all the heirlooms could no longer meet the rising crush of debt and the estates had to be sold. Plunging her mother into a cataleptic state of depression. Her father eventually ate a bullet to escape the pain of his plummeting fortunes and disgrace which led to his dismissal from the British Army. So Lady Vic set out to do the one thing she was well trained in and honestly wanted to do: kill people for a living.

* * *

Warmaker One faced a pair of Enforcers, unimaginatively code-named Enforcer One and Enforcer Two based on seniority with their firm. There was no hierarchy involved in the numerals, merely a system by which the wearers of the advanced combat armor could designate themselves.

Arvell Hauser's manufacturing firm had developed the Enforcer armored defense systems and hired those that would wear the suits and contracted them out to high profile employers. Employers that would demand to have Hauser Arms supply all their needs afterwards. Lady Vic felt their armor and pre-armor training and experience added to their post-armor specialized training made them ideal for dealing with Warmaker One. If not, they were disposable and Hauser would provide two alternates in their place.

* * *

Bizarro had been elected to face the outlandishly garbed Olympian. Besides a Greek toga style tunic and a bronze breastplate, the Olympian wore the Golden Fleece as a mask and cape. His strength was nearly equal to his father, Hercules'. Who, unbeknownst to his son, had joined forces with the Global Concern.

Olympian had always wanted to test his strength against Superman. But he considered Bizarro ideal. All the brawn and completely lacking the brain.

Fortunately for Tasmanian Devil, Bizarro Lois was like Bizarro Girl in that she was a human corpse infused with Kryptonian DNA and resuscitated through undisclosed means. Bizarro Lois had all of Bizarro's distorted features and half of his strength and other powers But in life Lois Lane had blindly loved Superman so too did Bizarro Lois now blindly love the chauvinistic Bizarro.

Bizarro Girl's constant hen pecking away at Bizarro Lois had already grown old in the misshapen woman's opinion. So she decided to take it out on Tasmanian Devil. After she'd vented she'd apologize _if_ the Australian were still alive.

* * *

Falseface found it irritating that she'd been selected to "face" Fleur-de-Lis. The French heroine was all actions and motion while Falseface was a mistress of disguise and misdirection. She was all about stealth and guile not kicking down doors and people. She needed time and distance to change her appearance to set up an ambush, so she did the only sensible thing. She ran in the opposite direction from Fleur-de-Lis.

Jack Nimbell had never wanted to join the Legion of Doom when he took over as the Toyman. That was why he wore a jester's costume instead of Winslow Schott's "Howdy Doody" themed get up. But he eternally seemed to be getting wrapped up in Luthor's schemes.

Toyman could only siphon so much money off of Schott's Toys without bankrupting the company and thereby denying him use of its assets. Luthor was willing to fund and develop Nimbell's designs so he was married into the Legion of Doom through his own obsessions.

And so it came to be that Toyman found himself opposing Centrix. Toyman wondered who Centrix was and why should he care. Centrix thought along identical lines regarding Toyman.

* * *

Shyla Kor-Onn was pleased to be facing Divine, "Luthor says you're some kind of human-Kryptonian hybrid clone. Let's see what you have to offer me."

Shyla had been incarcerated in the ageless Phantom Zone for nearly five hundred years for promoting Krypton's racial superiority ideology that had been abandoned five hundred years earlier. Back when the colonies were abandoned and only Argo, Daxam, and New Krypton remained. Of course, the Daxamites and Kandorians were all but forgotten until recent years.

Shyla felt her home world had died as a result of its weaknesses and tolerance. Luthor had bargained with her upon her release from the Phantom Zone. He would get her to New Krypton and its capital of Kandor in exchange for her assistance in securing Earth under his reign.

Both objectives pitted her against Saturn Queen's pet projects.

* * *

Superior Girl saw Ultrawoman's blonde hair and blue eyes and was instantly reminded of Kara In-Ze, the original Supergirl. Superior Girl was an unwitting classmate of Supergirl's in Smallville. But while she had little regard for Kara Kent so despised Supergirl. It eventually developed into a sick obsession.

When Supergirl disappeared into the 31st Century, Superior Girl lost all purpose in her life _until_ Supergirl returned. Answering a discreet advertisement on the Under Web, she was infused with Supergirl's own DNA from the last of Kara's blood samples stored at STAR Labs.

The treatment activated Superior Girl's own latent gen factor and she became a Majestic-Level meta-human. Superior Girl sneered at Ultrawoman, "I don't know how you got your so-called 'powers' but they aren't good enough to beat me."

"I probably got them the same way you did," Lena Luthor answered honestly, "Lex gave them to me."

* * *

Inside Trans Noble, Beautia Sivana monitored her family's progress in Brooklyn. Ostensibly she was there to aid them but the reality was murkier. She was actually there to report on them to the Marvel Family who seemed to have disappeared. Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman were no longer empowered by the wizard, Shazam. Why was that? She couldn't understand it.

The Black Marvel Family had just reappeared after a brief absence. Black Adam, Isis, and Horus seemed more invigorated than ever before. And Black Mary had never vanished at all after transferring from one Marvel family to another. Again for reasons unknown.

Beautia had tried alerting Mary Batson as to her father and siblings' intention but she wasn't answering. Seeing the news out of Pittsburgh, she knew why. But she still wanted a few cross words with Shazam. The world deserved to know what happened to the World's Mightiest Mortal and the Marvel Family.

* * *

A contingent made of members of the seemingly doomed experiment known as the Justice League Antarctica monitored the comings and goings of the Injustice Society. They were located in the outer suburbs of Cincinnati and seemed to be hosting a barbecue. Complete with one toddler.

As the JLA revealed themselves in a strangely provocative move, Goldilocks tried to keep the peace but Icicle and Tigress felt their daughter was threatened and responded in kind.

Icicle tried freezing the Hood. But before he'd joined the Justice League International, the Ultramarine Corps, or the JLA, the Hood like his brothers in arms had been a member of Batman, Inc. He'd received personal training from Batman himself, so he was too elusive to freeze directly or use ice daggers to impale.

"You are so not ruining my party!" Icicle declared. Then his daughter began to cry.

It seemed Tigress kept a crossbow and quiver of bolts wherever she went. El Gaucho was completely focused on staying alive as he bowled over Tigress' daughter. As she began crying, Tigress made a vow, "I'm so ending you right now."

Geo-Mancer, Killer Wasp, Rival, and even Solomon Grundy stayed out of it even as Shade and others dealt with other JLAers. Shade was incongruously out of place in a black body stocking and top hat at a suburban grill party, but he had his cane ready.

So he immersed Man-of-Bats and Raven Red in utter darkness and he could hold them indefinitely even in the bright, late Spring sun. The entire time he was observed by Gentleman Ghost, another odd sight amongst the ranks of Solomon Grundy and Shade.

Even in a bikini, Shiv had knives implanted subdermally and she could project them through muscle reflex at Nightrunner. Who was admittedly distracted by the former cheerleader. He couldn't comprehend that she'd grown up a science experiment for her father, the Dragon King. And that each surgery had been performed without anesthesia or after surgery painkillers. So she had a lot of anger to dispel.

Goldilocks gathered Hazard, Virtuoso, and Mist together to see how to best turn the events into profit. Johnny Sorrow's seemingly permanent disappearance and the Wizard's apparent demise had opened a power vacuum within the ranks of the Injustice Society. A vacuum Goldilocks fully intended to fill with the aid of her conspiring trio.

* * *

Captain Cold's team grumbled about being sent to the bowery in Newark but they literally stumbled into the Secret Society of Super Villains. For the most part the Secret Society simply stood aside while some more energetic, and less inebriated, members took a go at Cold's team.

Libra stood aside and weaved a bit as he leaned on his Cosmic Transmorgriphier. Funky Flashman attempted to be pithy but ended up just sounding moronic. Angle Man had the good sense to open doorways to other places to puke through. Killer Moth had forgotten how to work his glue gun. And the latest Crazy Quilt seemed to be reconsidering her membership.

Typhoon challenged Major Disaster. But Major Disaster surprised him, "Why don't we forgo the usual natural disaster riffs and just talk this out?"

"Intriguiking," Typhoon hiccupped, "Shounds like a plan."

Major Disaster wondered if, what would have been a very brief fight, wouldn't have just been easier.

Zebra-Man faced down Captain Cold. _Both_ of him. He kept trying to dismantle Captain Cold's freeze gun with his magnetic powers. But he couldn't seem to do more than yank it out Leonard Snart's hands and keep it away from him. Captain Cold finally realized what shape Zebra-Man was in and found it completely embarrassing that he couldn't catch his own damn gun.

Golden Glider was amused as Summer Day stripped naked, "Oh honey, I'm not buying what you're selling."

Then Summer transformed into the Hyena and cackled, "What about now?"

"Omigod!" Golden Glider screamed as she skated in the opposite direction. All of which just excited the Hyena more.

Ragamuffin, Sting, Mr. Terrible, Sweet Sixteen, and the Velvet Tiger tried budging Big Sir. Sweet Sixteen even tried to "whammy" him with her mind control power to no effect.

"It's like he's a giant baby or brain dead even," Sweet Sixteen grated as she and the others tried pushing Big Sir back.

Bonny Hoffman and Carmen Leno made up the team known as the Body Doubles. Their claim to fame was fighting Princess Diana to a standstill when she was still Wonder Woman. Now they faced Red Star, who seemed overly distracted by their skimpy attire.

Jongleur provided witty critiques of the Superior Five's allies' efforts against the JLA. Hindenburg wanted to return to the bar to order yet another meal. Split shot and Tremor schemed ways to interfere in everyone's exertions. Lagomorph kept them all in check

"We're in reserve in case they threaten New York, or Paris, or even Rome," Lagomorph decided.

The Frontmen actively sought to decide to involve themselves. But they couldn't settle on the 'how' to do so. Mr. Somebody, Porcelain Doll, Botfly, and Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man were many things but profound and decisive thinkers didn't rate with any of them.

* * *

The People's Heroes had gotten their way in the end and were sent alone, as a unit, to San Francisco to monitor the Global Concern. But Molotov's idea of subtlety was to enter the lobby and begin blowing it apart with his explosive power. Dr. Zadar evacuated the legitimate employees and dispatched the legitimate security forces. Meanwhile Ariel Pryde, better known as Domino, began getting the illegal employees out safely and directing a response equal to the People's Heroes.

Hercules of legend met Hammer and Sickle and ordered them to cease and desist. Hercules' goal on Earth was to reclaim its worship for him and select other beings claiming to be deities and "demigods." He found Hammer and Sickle boring until Hammer nearly made him spit teeth after striking a blow with his namesake weapon.

Then Sickle nearly gutted him with hers. Hercules settled in for his first real fight since abandoning Olympus. The Russian siblings were amazed as he healed almost instantaneously.

Spandex, Yoga Pants, and Leotard of the Costume Club bore down on Bolshoi. The Costume Club served as the Global Concern's collections agents for services rendered where super villains were concerned. Similarly, Cowl, Boots, and Cape were up against Molotov. That left Mask, Belt, and Gloves against Pravda. And so every member of the People's Heroes was engaged by foes.

* * *

"I want a prep team working on options as the Pittsburgh action concludes," Gen. Jack Latham briefed the MLJ's support staff, "These include working beside the Justice League Unlimited or just plain ignoring their presence. Keep in mind the Web Agency is inbound and due to arrive in fifteen minutes with orders, issued by parties unknown, to arrest the JLU coupled with stress on meeting resistance with lethal force. I need every available option and scenario on my desk in seven minutes."

Everyone knew working for the MLJ would be taxing going into it. And some days even demanded the impossible be done.

"Hula Hula, I want to know how Zinda used the teleporter five minutes ago," Steve Trevor told the Operations chief.

"Like everybody else," Hula Hula thought the question was idiotic at best.

"Except I locked down the device and she, and presumably Penny, bypassed the lockouts."

Hula Hula suddenly realized both Penny and Zinda Blake were missing in action.

* * *

The Task Force X support team monitored the Suicide Squad's progress from the Ops Center within Belle Reve. Special Agent Karin Grace disliked having convicts on the center floor. Hack was an acceptable risk to Karin's sensibilities because she was a volunteer. But Calendar Man, Achilles Milo, and James Gordon Jr. were all credible and ongoing threats in her estimation.

Gwen Cormaugh kept her fingers on her wristband control to detonate everyone's neck bombs. Karin had a backup in case Gwen was disabled. Even Hack had a bomb implanted. Gordon had received one at Gwen's insistence over Waller's direct override.

Nightshade had dubbed the penetration of Fort Siegel "Operation Schuster." Flagg had divided the team into two units approaching from different directions. All carefully monitored from Belle Reve.

The Suicide Squad's "Alpha" team happened upon the Secret Six, the Civil Defense Force, and the Americans. No member of the original Meta-Human Response Division was visible anywhere on the base or its grounds. The Beta team encountered the Crusaders, the Freedom Force, and the THUNDER Agents practicing team maneuvers. There was already a great deal of friction between the Crusaders and the other teams given the Crusaders' criminal past and the fact half of the Freedom Fighters were green.

* * *

Beneath Fort Siegel Gen. Lane observed the egress courtesy of surveillance installed by ARGUS at Amanda Waller's command. Lane signaled all of his observable assets to await further orders and prepped the hidden teams as well.

In the stockade, Reactron and Cyclotron argued with Agent Liberty and Guardian regarding Maj. Lucy Lane's probable fate. Reactron advocated the preemptive execution option, "I say we put a bullet in her head now and get it over with. The Old Man has worse in store for her. He chose that Bizarro freak show over his only living daughter."

"It'd be a mercy killing for sure," Cyclotron agreed.

"We know the charges are horseshit," Agent Liberty grated, "She tried to protect her sister's corpse from desecration and 'daddy' made a Bizarro out of Lois Lane anyway. When Maj. Lane tried to stop the thing from escaping, Gen. Lane charged her with treason. Which is laughable since we're all officially wanted on the same charge just for belonging to this outfit."

"We have her Superwoman costume in storage. I say we give it to her and pretend she escaped," Guardian offered a new solution.

"I'd like to see her get into that suit. She's got a smokin' body," Reactron leered.

"Get your head out of your dick," Agent Liberty warned, "We won't let anything happen to Lucy Lane."

"Damn straight," Guardian pledged.

Lane's orders came through.

"We'll settle up later," Cyclotron advised the reluctant jailors.

Lucy was being guarded by the assets Gen. Lane wasn't certain how to best use yet. Two of whom simply because he despised them because they were women. So he set them watching the daughter he planned to kill.

The Fighting American wasn't the confident hero Lucy had seen footage of from over sixty years ago. He seemed rather…confused…by his role in current events. Minute-Man seemed eager to please the general. Yankee Girl was far more sanguine about things. She simply waited to see how things developed further.

The Bulleteer was pointedly unhappy with holding Maj. Lane prisoner. She'd overheard enough conversation to know Lucy was being railroaded into an unwarranted death sentence by her own father basically because she wasn't her older sister. Her _dead_ but partially resurrected older sister. The whole story about how Gen. Lane had transformed his daughter's corpse into a Bizarro clone had sickened Bulleteer.

The Unknown Soldier came on the deck, "Look alive, rejects. Gen. Lane has put the base on alert. That means you stay here and keep the Major in her cell. Think you can accomplish that?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Minute-Man obediently answered.

"I thought so. I'll be outside the cell block in case you can't manage to obey one simple order," Unknown Soldier dismissed himself.

"I'd like to manage him," Bulleteer grumbled. It was the first thing the foursome had collectively agreed upon.

* * *

Selina Kyle had successfully, and quietly, penetrated Belle Reve by posing as an ARGUS deputy being rotated into the duty shift. Kitrina Falcone waited nearby in a Land Cruiser she'd dubbed the "Cat Mobile." Selina's target was the other infamous "E" Dial.

Intergang had possession of the second Dial "E" for Evil wrist dial and they wanted both of them. ARGUS still seemed unaware of the existence of both dials and the full potential of even one of them. Waller had thrown the world's best scientist at explaining how the dial functioned, how it bestowed meta-human abilities regardless of gen factor, why the effect only lasted one hour, and why it seemed the results were completely random. But no one had been able to explain anything. Ever.

Waller had intended to use the "E" Dial to empower agents. The Dial "H" for Hero dials required users who were virtuously minded and so the "E" Dials required a user with a criminal frame of mind. But Waller found it difficult to find petty crooks to use the dial who were also willing to subject themselves to ARGUS' neck bomb controls. So the dial had simply been locked away and seemingly forgotten.

Selina supposed Intergang would change that. Word was they were enlisting a band of teenagers to wear the dials and use them on Intergang's behalf. Selina doubted Intergang would properly reward their subjects but she couldn't fight every battle everywhere.

So as Selina was shown her new "daily routine" she kept an eye on places of interest where the dial might be locked away. After she liberated the dial, Catwoman would be the first prisoner to ever successfully escape Belle Reve. Or that was her plan.

* * *

The Web personally led the Web Agents to Pittsburgh in a transport Fly Girl had designed. They had no idea LexCorp had built a similar model from the same design. He looked forward to thumbing his nose at the sanctimonious JLU. And the dethroning of Latham as Director of the MLJ and Web Agency. Once that was accomplished, the Mighty Crusaders would bow and scrape at his command.

* * *

Inside the House of Mystery, a council had gathered forewarned by Nightshade, Enchantress, and Silver Swan. Zatanna and John Constantine made an appearance as did Pandora and the Phantom Stranger. Dr. Fate and Shazam represented the Lords of Order. Swamp Thing and Frankenstein's Creature declined. Frankenstein because he wanted to devote more energy towards SHADE and the Bride especially now that she was speaking to him on friendly terms.

"It's time we choose the future relationship of our loose Justice League Dark association. The time is coming when mortal men will seek our destruction," Madame Xanadu warned them all.

"Always cheerful, luv," Constantine habitually lit another cigarette.

"Nabu and I are leaving this mortal plane and soon Dr. Fate will merely be a human sorcerer with a grant of power," Shazam advised them all.

"I will endure and as always I shall do so a lone," Phantom Stranger announced.

"I'll stay with you all until you change your minds," Pandora decided.

"Then we have a great deal to discuss regarding our part-time association and precious little time in which to do so," Madame Xanadu pointed as she began to deal from her tarot deck, "But first, let the cards illuminate our future."

* * *

"We need to move closer," Brain decided.

"Luthor told us to wait until further notice," Signalman reminded him.

"I am in charge here!" Brain's synthesized voice managed to become shrill, "And I say we advance!"

"My pets are bored," Satana motioned her hybrid animal men forward.

"I'll stay behind and my Shaggy Man will form the nucleus of a strategic reserve," Prof. Ivo offered.

"What can we possibly gain from five blocks away?" Prof. Poison sounded gleeful to move towards the rechristened Hall of National Socialism.

"One group will advance and a second will stay here," Signalman conceded, "Don't blow our element of surprise."

"Of course we won't!" Brain snapped at him.

But everyone knew he would for the supposed glory of subduing Degaton's forces.


	6. Chapter 6

29

The Web Agents landed their transport at an intersection nearby the police mobile command. The assorted heroes were assembled around the command working with the police to arrange the detention of the captured Justice League Task Force. The Web Agents fanned out and surrounded the JLU, Mighty Crusaders, and the Birds of Prey.

Web led the agents, "I advise every JLer to surrender. Your support staff are also wanted for questioning. If you yield without resistance, I'll guarantee safe transport to the World Court," Web proclaimed.

"How long did you rehearse that little speech?" Pow-Girl moved to the fore.

"Rosie?" Web was startled to see his ex-wife there.

"In the living flesh," Pow-Girl promised.

"You can't be here," Web was seriously rattled and even afraid, "Our divorce decree still has the restraining order in effect. You can't be within fifty feet of me."

"Then it's a good thing I'm fifty-one feet from you," Pow-Girl smirked.

* * *

While the Mighty Crusaders were enjoying the show; Shield quietly approached Superman, "I suggest you use the distraction to disappear."

"Shay, can Hula Hula get a teleporter lock on Plastic Man?" Green Lantern asked his wife.

"They already have him," she whispered back to him.

"Then have Trevor get us out of here before this turns into a confrontation with a federal agency," Superman's ventriloquism said to Shayera Hol.

* * *

One quick signal later and the entire Justice League Unlimited vanished in a teleporter flash. Web was incensed, "What the hell? This was your plan all along!"

"No, but I had high hopes," Pow-Girl snickered.

"You're all under arrest as conspirators," Web raged.

"I wouldn't try and enforce that," Black Hood advised him.

"Web, let's have a little chat with Special Agent Strander and she can explain policy to you," Shield suggested.

"Let's," Web angrily sneered.

* * *

Carol Anne Strander was eagerly standing by, "Web, the agents who accompanied you will transport the Justice League Task Force to suitable holdings. Afterwards they are being reassigned. You, on the other hand, have a date with Gen. Latham to explain why a suspended agent commandeered a federal agency's senior agents and tried to arrest a fellow federal law enforcement division."

"Latham is going to hear all about this," Web threatened.

"And I'm certain he wants to hear it just as badly as I do," Carol brushed him off.

* * *

KitCat and Kenny Wisdom cleared a teleport jump to return the Mighty Crusaders to Liberty Station on Destruction Island. Carol left a message with the Huntress, "When you see the Comet and Jaguar, have them return to base."

"Will do," Huntress agreed.

"See ya around, Johnny Raymond," Pow-Girl offered as Web prepped to jump back to the MLJ's headquarters.

Several Web Agents looked startled to discover the Web was also their long time benefactor. Buster and Wild Bill just looked pleased as they collected wagers. The Web Agents got busy prepping the captured task force personnel for transport to a proper prison.

Huntress turned to the ambulatory Birds of Prey, "Let's find our missing ladies."

* * *

Jaguar found herself dropped into a faux jungle. The plants were real enough but everything else was faked or holographic. But the metal dogs snarling as they advanced on her were real enough as it went.

A giant pinball rolled through a wall and crushed the robot dogs. Cat-Girl came through the hole and flamboyantly asked, "Miss me?"

"Who are you anyway?" Jaguar was astounded.

"My birth name was Lydia Fellin but the Spirit of the Cat turned me into Cat-Girl," she revealed, "I play at being Lydia to get around unnoticed. We could always hang out as Maria de Guzman and Lydia Fellin if you'd prefer."

"Maybe. If we get out of here," Jaguar grumped.

"Haven't you heard those voices and caught the scents in the air?" Cat-Girl asked, "The cavalry has arrived."

* * *

Plastic Man vanished in a flash of light. Poison Ivy complained, "How rude."

"I wonder why Liberty Station hasn't done that with Jaguar and I?" Comet asked aloud.

"You, I wouldn't miss," Ivy remarked.

"Do you get along with anyone?" Comet wondered.

"One person," Ivy betrayed herself.

"She's in love," She-Fox caught the intonation.

"Guy or girl?" Comet asked. Seeing Ivy's glare, he clarified, "I have to assume whoever it is is also human and not a cucumber."

"Harley Quinn!" She-Fox snapped her fingers, "It has to be. But she's missing and presumed dead."

"And why do you know all this?" Ivy was slightly cross.

"You and Harley were hell on wheels in that pink convertible," She-Fox admitted.

"You'll make me blush," Ivy said modestly…at least for her.

"And why are you with us again?" Savant had to ask.

"Can't a bad girl redeem herself?" Ivy replied.

"Not your style," Savant retorted.

"Well, that's the only answer you'll get," Ivy promised.

The floor gave way and each of them was sucked down a separate tube. Each member landed in a different room that Carny had prepared for guests in his newest Wacky World. Tourists arrived but wouldn't live long enough to exit. Or so went the idea.

* * *

Comet streaked through the laser barrage that seemed to fire at random intervals in different directions. The room was covered in hexagonal tiles and laser emitters. Except for one bare patch that Comet blasted through and entered a new room.

* * *

"What is it with all the metal and petrochemicals?" Ivy wearily surveyed the obstacle course laid out before her. Behind her a metal wall with protruding spears and sputtering flamethrowers drove her down the course. It was laden with more of the same with added saw banks and electrified netting.

"Wonderful," Ivy laid out a seed packet and cut her hand to sprinkle her own blood on the seeds. The sprouts that grew had a phenomenally accelerated growth rate but they also died just as quickly with nothing to take root in. She ran out of seedlings before she reached the door at the end of the labyrinth.

For the first time since Pamela Isley was transformed into Poison Ivy, she wasn't certain on what to do next.

* * *

She-Fox found herself on a ceramic jungle gym. But the mounting brackets were immersed in acid and were boiling away, causing the ceramic portions to collapse into the acid vat that filled the room. There was an exit but she knew it probably led to greater danger. Delilah Monaco was deliriously happy as she headed for that same exit.

* * *

Kenesha studied the zero G sphere she'd landed in. Savant had immediately learned the danger behind the sphere. It maintained null gravity until she attempted to propel herself in any direction. Then shrill alarms and psychedelic lights pounded at her senses while she careened off walls before eventually losing enough momentum to trigger the end of the gravity fluxes.

She knew warriors on New Genesis trained in such environments and the escape hatch was always at the bottom of the sphere. Which was visible to her. The designer had never counted on its victim wearing the Seven League Shoes.

So with a single deliberate step, Savant found herself at the hatch while she desperately attempted to block out the lights and noise. Retrieving her sonic screwdriver, she went to work on the hatch's lock. She'd been given the spare device by a Time Lady calling herself the Doctor. The Doctor had restored Kenesha's faith in humanity. Despite being born on Earth, Savant was well aware of the fact she wasn't a native.

* * *

Comet blew a hole in the wall to join Jaguar and Cat-Girl, "Hey! You're okay!"

"Of course she's okay," Cat-Girl was insulted on Jaguar's behalf.

"Let me handle this," Jaguar quietly insisted. A hatch in the ceiling opened up and Kenesha dropped through it.

"Whoa! I have to get used to gravity again," Savant was wobbly.

Then a door blasted off of its hinges. She-Fox had aimed a repulsor cannon at it after reuniting with Ivy. They were about to exit together, but a television screen flared to life displaying an irate Carny.

" _No fair! My Wacky World designs should have killed you all,"_ and then Carny melted into a puddle.

Power Girl faced the camera, _"I can hear you all so just sound off if you're okay or not."_

* * *

Black Cat and April Amazing actually located the room where the beleaguered "attendees" were waiting.

"We have them," Black Cat radioed Huntress.

* * *

Outside of JL-Pittsburgh, Comet and Jaguar said their farewells and were teleported back to Liberty Station. Rhosyn Forrest did the honors for the Birds of Prey, but before they parted ways, Jaguar and Cat-Girl exchanged telephone numbers with tentative plans to meet.

Jade informed the Birds Mr. Terrific's T-Spheres had returned the Justice Society back to the K-Star Ranch. Pow-Girl took malicious delight in regaling the team with Web's abject humiliation.

* * *

Ivana Baiul recruited Blackstarr to assist her in liberating the Justice League Task Force. Mr. Mind and the Thinker collaborated on plans to further discredit the JLU. The Other studied his counterpart from Earth Prime. This Alfred Pennyworth had been loyal to a fault without intimidation or promises of earthly rewards.

He also studied Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake. It was no stretch of the imagination to deduce Commissioner Barbara Gordon was not only Wayne's ex-wife but the former Batgirl as well. Which just begged the question of what had happened to the Batwomen and who was the usurper bearing the name now?

* * *

Clock King set a simplistic trap for 4-D. He reversed time on one side of her body while advancing time on the other. As she regressed to an infantile state and aged into dust simultaneously, the shock killed her almost instantly... _Almost_.

Clock King had never directly taken a life before but he found 4-D's screams reward enough on their own.

* * *

Owlwoman finally realized Sparrow Hawk was distracting her for some nefarious reason. She flew to a halt and began retracing her flight path in an almost straight shot towards Trans Noble. Sparrow Hawk finally attacked Owlwoman.

She found Sparrow Hawk's Nth metal sword to be of equal standing to her extended finger talons. And the Thanagarian weapon could charge itself for brief discharges. Owlwoman knew time was growing short for her teammates so she broke off from the conflict with Sparrow Hawk and headed out of town.

The Thanagarian pursued her but Owlwoman could fly further and faster because physics were on her side since she flew by mystical means and not courtesy of wings. Sparrow Hawk moved to return to Trans Noble and the embattled Legionnaires. Owlwoman followed at distance relying on her mystically enhanced tracking skills to keep abreast of what Sparrow Hawk was doing and where she was doing it.

* * *

Giganta finally blew Sandstorm apart and kicked over fire hydrants to douse his particulate body. Once a significant portion of Sandstorm's body was washed away down the sewer, she felt confident he wouldn't be threatening her again. She reduced her height but remained enlarged for the time being.

* * *

Reverse Flash felt Cascade's watery body begin to shear off. He accelerated and began running through other portions of Bludhaven. He kept up the pace until the last wick of Cascade's body was off of him. But Eobard Thawne wasn't satisfied until he confirmed that Cascade's puddles weren't trying to reform themselves into the woman herself. Confident she was well and truly dead, Reverse Flash set course for Trans Noble.

* * *

Blackwing was enjoying himself immensely. The Knight was actually a challenge. Nowhere near Owlman's former level but the former Talon couldn't complain. Knight had provided the best exercise he'd had in weeks. Up until Blackwing killed him.

He let Squire flee telling himself it would be good for the boy to learn life's sorrows at a young age. But Atomica intercepted him and propelled herself up his nose and down his trachea, then she expanded her height and ruptured out of Squire's lungs. She promised herself she wouldn't bathe or scrub the blood and gore away until after she'd seduced Blackwing.

* * *

Volcana tired of Pulse 8 so she ignite the whole city block and kept it burning until his cries died out. Checking on him, she found him an incinerated corpse. Just the way Volcana liked her enemies.

Casey Krinsky watched as one former Ultramarine Corpsman fell after another. And wondered why she'd ever worried about getting involved at all. But Lady Vic wasn't taking any chances with her.

Lady Lunar dropped Jovian styled gravity on Tundra which nearly killed the Russian. Then she poured on even heavier gravity fields until Tundra was a smear on the pavement. Lady Lunar excused herself to the indoors to warm up.

* * *

Owlwoman swooped down and pulled Jack O'Lantern away from Tala. He complained for several blocks, "What the hell?"

"Shut up and come with me if you want to live," Owlwoman advised him.

"What gives? Are ya an effin' terminator now?" Jack protested.

"We're the last ones left," Owlwoman warned him, "It's like they expected us and we're a game to them."

"Well it's not like we were expectin' the whole Legion of Doom," Jack flew under his own power now.

"That's just it," Owlwoman dismally warned him, "This is only a portion of the Legion. Where's the rest of them?"

"Look, I know I'm not Daniel or his kinda Jack O'Lantern but ya picked me ta save outta everyone. Maybe yer startin' ta give me a chance to prove myself," Jack theorized.

"You were available, Liam. Don't read too much into it," Owlwoman advised him, "Right now we have to warn Dr. Mist."

* * *

Glob engulfed the entirety of Atomic Skull. Then the Skull ramped up the radioactive flames spewing from his hands and head and melted Glob. Afterwards Atomic Skull made a single comment, "I'll never look at gelatin the same."

Lady Vic stood down the reserves still awaiting deployment on the street. The tide of battle had definitely turned. The remaining Ultramarine Corpsmen couldn't overwhelm the forces she could bring to bear. But she severely doubted she'd have to anyway.

The Enforcers systematically damaged Warmaker One's armor and weapons systems. Until his own missile payload began detonating, thereby destroying the armor and the wearer within. Enforcer 1 and 2 took a moment to congratulate themselves and then reported in to Lady Vic.

* * *

Bizarro smashed Olympian's front teeth in. The vainglorious Grecian didn't know if they'd grow back as he spat them out and pulled himself out of the wall Bizarro had driven him into. Bizarro took a moment to enjoy his handiwork while Olympian's rage propelled him to attack again. But Bizarro had tired of the contest and used his heat vision to sear Olympian's flesh from his skull. Demigod or not, he wouldn't be coming back from that.

Tasmanian Devil found he was as strong as Bizarro Lois but she could fly and still had vision power he lacked. But it was Bizarro's fist to the back of his skull that caved it in. Bizarro was ecstatic to be reunited with Bizarro Lois.

"Me am so happy you is okay," he gushed.

"You am killed him for me," Bizarro Lois thrilled at the sight, "Me am happiest Bizarro on Earth. Let we make babies now."

Bizarro couldn't argue with that logic.

* * *

Falseface got far enough ahead to duck into a storefront. Fleur-de-Lis burst in but saw no sign of Falseface. The owner couldn't speak English and Fleur-de-Lis had never learned Hindi. She pushed her way through the back stock room and into a blind alley.

And still no one was there. Fleur-de-Lis returned to the streets to retrace her steps and expand her search. She never noticed the smartly dressed business woman that approach from behind her and fatally stabbed her. Falseface disposed of the knife in a dumpster and called 911 after she was certain Fleur-de-Lis wouldn't survive her injury.

Falseface went as far as to offer the police an eyewitness report of the stabbing. Afterwards, she returned to Trans Noble to find the momentary crisis had passed. She decided to have words with Lady Vic about operating as a tactical asset versus a strategic one. With an added caveat that if Falseface were put in that type of scenario again, Lady Vic would have to be on the lookout for every person she saw in order to avoid the knife that would wait for her.

* * *

Centrix moved to apprehend Toyman but the villain was prepared for it. His yo-yo contained a miniaturized mass driver and hit with the kinetic impact of a meteor. It only took one blow to shatter Centrix's skull and leave him bleeding on the pavement. Toyman snapped a few selfies with the corpse as Centrix died for Canada's sake that day.

Divine retreated after Shyla Kor-Onn had broken several bones. The clone knew she would mend within 24 hours but she had to live long enough to do so. Shyla let Divine flee unimpeded despite Lady Vic's admonition otherwise. But Shyla wanted witnesses to declare to humanity what she was capable of and testimony to what she as willing to do to opponents.

* * *

Superior Girl found herself on similar terms with Ultrawoman. Except that Lena Luthor had willingly transformed into a Bizarro version of herself. Lex Luthor called Superior Girl off.

"It's good to see you, Lena," Luthor offered.

His sister reverted to her human state, "Can you tell I can walk now?"

"Yes, and so much more it seems," Luthor agreed.

"We need to talk," Lena put it simply.

"I couldn't agree more," Luthor stated as he led Lena into the Trans Noble building.

Superior Girl found her effort to impress Luthor stymied.

* * *

At Goldilocks' behest, Hazard intervened on Icicle's behalf. Her dice threw bad luck Hood's way. Hood developed agonizing back spasms that Icicle was all too happy to relieve him off…and his life. Then Icicle turned his attention to Hood's daughter.

Virtuoso made it easy for Tigress. Her violin music emitted visible strands of sonic energy which wound around El Gaucho and paralyzed him. Making him one crossbow bolt away from Tigress caring for her terrified daughter.

Mist acted on Shiv's behalf whether Shiv wanted the help or not. She solidified inside of Nightrunner's lungs and pulped his internal organs. As he staggered around, dead without knowing yet, Shiv used her body knives to impale him.

Shade dropped his shadow bubble and Killer Wasp struck to kill Man-of-Bats an his son, Raven Red. Gentleman Ghost pulled Wingman's heart out of his chest. Ragdoll was one part grateful and two parts annoyed.

Rival vibrated his hand through Dark Ranger's chest and liquefied the man's heart. Shadow Thief found it efficient if completely unnecessary. Grundy on the other hand was discomfited.

"Grundy no play," he complained.

"Time enough for all that," Goldilocks stepped in again, "Geo-Mancer, dispose of the bodies, please."

And the Earth swallowed the former Batman Incorporated members as though they'd never been there at all. Icicle took Goldilocks' bit, "Maybe you should be in charge. You certainly knew how to deal with these idiots."

"I'm for it," Tigress seconded the vote.

"Thank you both but it has to be unanimous," Goldilocks prompted the others.

"I'm all in," Hazard knew her role.

"It would be nice following another woman," Virtuoso did as well.

"You have an excellent grasp of tactics and strategy so I'm for you as well," Shade offered.

"I doff my hat to you, young lady," Gentleman Ghost chimed in.

"Grundy like hairy girl," was all he needed to say.

"She certainly utilized our resources effectively to deliver an ideal solution," Shadow Thief gave her vote of confidence.

"She was in the frickin' Legion of Doom. `Nuff said," Mist spouted.

"And she was with the Justice League," Shiv was more skeptical.

"No one's perfect. Look at all the screw ups Johnny Sorrow and Wizard led us into," Geo-Mancer was more generous.

"But she's just out of diapers," Rival complained.

"I don't think her loyalty is really the issue here," Killer Wasp offered.

"No, just her competence." Rival argued.

"Someone has to lead us. Are there any volunteers?" Icicle asked.

Silence loomed. Tigress snorted, "I thought as much. We picked Goldilocks because she rose to the challenge and is willing to try. I suggest we make it a probationary mandate until everyone's doubts are satisfied."

"I can agree to that," Rival allowed.

"One screw up and re-revisit this whole deal," Shiv promised.

"Well, I would've preferred a clean mandate but we make due with what we're given," Goldilocks accept the nomination, "And I already have a caper in mind."

Even the skeptics listened in at that point.

* * *

"I don't want to fight or arrest you," Major Disaster pledged, "I just want info on Luthor."

"What kind of information?" Typhoon asked.

"What does he have over the United Nations Security Council?" Major Disaster asked.

"Hell, we'd like to know that ourselves," Typhoon replied.

"Cease fire!" Libra demanded, "That means you too Captain Cold!"

Zebra-Man ceased his efforts. Cold holstered his freeze gun. Hyena broke off her pursuit of Golden Glider.

"Thanks for the peep show," Golden Glider snickered as she skated by. Hyena snarled at her.

Red Star politely let the Body Doubles get up off the pavement. Funky Flashman decided to settle the matter, "If we had information on Luthor we'd be acting upon it to end him once and for all."

"You'd better be telling the truth," Captain Cold tried to sound intimidating. The Superior Five and Frontmen responded with a collective eye roll. But even Snart knew enough to bow out.

"But in the hope for better relations, we're sorry we ever troubled you," Captain Cold offered.

Libra decided to accept the apology in the spirit it was intended. Which meant it was barely tolerated just as it had been barely offered. Next time the Secret Society would avoid getting sloshed in public.

* * *

Dr. Zadar led the Global Concern analysts and legitimate client managers out of the building. And given his immense bulk, it was amazing to most later on that he did so unnoticed. Meanwhile on the hidden floors, Domino played her strategy game against the People's Heroes.

As Ariel Pryde, Domino was the heiress to a gaming company empire. She'd grown up immersed in strategy games and games of chance. It was little wonder she was obsessed with them by the time she reached college.

Having designed no less than a dozen hit games herself in the four years she attended university, she left school bored with it all. She decided to play higher stakes games she devised using human life as collateral. And so she became a super villain.

Her high priced lawyers kept her out of jail until Dr. Zadar put her obscene talents to use at the Global Concern. She directed the Global Concern's hidden agenda while the rest of the company provided the funding to achieve it. It was like blending _Civilization_ with _Risk_ and Domino was in her element at last.

Immediately on hand were Adrian Hasket and Dr. Archer. Hasket was a failed illusionist that perfect hybridizing animal genetic codes to create artificial species while in prison. He dubbed his creations the "Creeptures" and they obeyed his every word. Archer was a chemist by trade and the boss of the world's largest narcotics cartel. Both Hasket and Dr. Archer were absolutely loyal to Dr. Zadar's vision of the world to come.

* * *

Hercules caught Hammer's blow and crushed the mallet. His own blow shattered Hammer's jaw. Sickle came in for the rescue but Hercules crushed her wrist and made her drop her weapon. Then he scooped it up and impaled the sickle into Hammer's forehead.

Sickle screamed and sank to her knees. Hercules hooked her shoulder with her own weapon and pulled her into him, "I took Hippolyta by force and raped every Amazon. Hera, my 'beloved' stepmother gave them Themyscira in recompense. Hippolyta fought me every day and night but you will beg me to ravish you. You will pleasure me until I bid you to stop then you'll beg me to continue giving into my fleshly desires."

Sickle was numb to his words. Her life had already ended anyway. What degradations could possibly be worse than what Hercules had already inflicted?

"But I will hear you scream as I tear the information Domino wants from you," Hercules promised and began inflicting pain like Sickle had never endured, "And if you should die, I will simply have my way with your corpse to fulfill my bargain."

* * *

The nine member Costume Club engaged three People's Heroes. But the odds still weighed in on the Russians' side. Spandex, Yoga Pants, and Leotard fought Bolshoi's fusion of ballet and martial arts. He killed Leotard right away before the other two drew knives out of their costumes. When the fight ended, there were no survivors.

Which proved out against Molotov and Pravda as well. Each fought down to a last Clubber before they mutually annihilated each other with their dying breaths. The Costume Club was no more but the People's Heroes had been decimated down to the last woman, Sickle and her torment was just beginning as Dr. Archer chemically raped her mind before Hercules did the same to her body until she died from it and the desecrations of her corpse began.

* * *

Nestled in the Green Mountains, Killer Frost came to a conclusion, "We need to get back. It isn't like Dr. Mist to leave his people hanging in a lurch like this."

"We need to be cautious and prepare for a fight," Insect Queen advised.

"Are your lives always like this?" Tefe Holland asked.

"You haven't seen anything yet, kid," Blue Jay counseled her.

Valentina Vostok ignited with nuclear fire, "Ready."

"I am, but I am still very weak," Lady Flash warned them all.

Neo Joker drew even more knives out of her costume, "Just stick close until the killing stops."

Killer Frost wished Marian Drew's sentiments were misplaced.

Silver Sorceress began her preparations, "I'll spell cast us there in just a moment."

* * *

"Welcome back," Steve Trevor greeted the returning JLers, "The news media can't praise your efforts enough. Particularly since you worked beside the world's newest media sensations, the Mighty Crusaders. Even Channel M and Galaxy Broadcasting can't extol enough of their virtues."

"Unfortunately President McKay ordered our arrest," Superman glumly replied.

"No, she ordered the MLJ to _engage_ you and the Mighty Crusaders chose to engage you in conversation," Trevor clarified, "The nascent Web Agency exceeded their mandate when they chose to pursue an active arrest policy. Gen. Latham is re-assigning them now to avoid future entanglements."

"Latham?" Shayera Hol asked.

"Jack Latham, the Director of the MLJ and the Mighty Crusaders and Web Agency's highest echelon in the immediate chain of command."

Hula Hula observed that Trevor and Wonder Woman were delighted to be reunited. As were Plastic Man and Penny. Hula was overjoyed to see his friends happy again.

"We can't just hide," Power Ring protested. Jessica Cruz had spent months in hiding wanted for a justifiable homicide. But the victim happened to be the district attorney's brother so evidence was tampered with to seek a slam dunk conviction in Jessica's case. So Jessica lived in fear of discovery until the Ring of Volthoom found her.

"Actually, we can," Trevor signaled Hula Hula and the Hawaiian activated the monitor banks and they displayed a single unified image. The rechristened Hall of National Socialism was in full view. There were dismayed gasps and groans throughout the crowd.

"My God," Green Lantern managed to find words.

"God has nothing to do with it. This is all because of a man named Per Degaton," Trevor watched Barda bristle, "And that man announced to every major media outlet he had a message for the world. His emissary informed the United Nations he had a message for Luthor and called him out."

"But Col. Trevor and Gen. Latham are working together to find a mutually beneficial end to this crisis that will clear our names," Hula Hula added.

"We can only hope," Atom voiced everyone's opinion.

* * *

"Welcome back, Mr. Raymond," Latham delighted in saying to the Web as he entered the General's office in Liberty Station.

"Strander told me your people had deduced my identity. Why didn't you protect it?" Web demanded to know as he slammed the General's door shut.

"Mrs. Raymond isn't one of my assets. You should have considered her feelings after you agreed to marry her just to convince her to allow you to bed her and then ended the marriage fourteen days later after continuous fornication," Latham stated, "Added to the fact you attached a restraining order to the divorce decree as well as taking legal action to prevent Rosie from ever approaching your estate and making a claim against it. These are considered to be rude by most people."

"That goldbrick will never touch a penny of the Raymond fortune," Web vowed.

"And yet it was obvious even to my investigators that she never wanted your money and even signed a prenup to that arrangement," Latham replied, "She only wanted to be _Mrs._ Raymond. God knows why."

"Are you just going to gloat?" Web wanted to know.

"I want to know what you know about the Web," Latham explained.

"Don't be stupid. _I'm_ the Web," he snorted.

"Not anymore. At least not exclusively. A fourteen year old girl in San Francisco is moonlighting as the Web. Are you certain you want to still plead ignorance?" Latham inquired.

"I honestly have no clue as to what you seem to be referring to," Web admitted.

"So the name Jane Raymond means nothing to you?" Latham clarified.

"What are you getting at?" Web asked.

"Jane Raymond is your brother's daughter. She's your niece," Latham shared.

"My brother was never married," Web snorted.

"In my experience procreation and marriage aren't mutually exclusive," Latham advised him, "Do you ever recall your brother spending copious amounts of time with a Korean woman with a green card?"

Web froze and Latham recognized it, "She became pregnant and your father demanded the relationship be severed. But your brother relocated her and paid the mother's expenses until she found employment and then your brother paid half of her expenses and full child support."

"No wonder he had a cash flow shortage," Web finally realized.

"And he visited Jane every weekend until his death. It seems her mother recently passed away after a protracted illness," Latham told him, "And since you inherited and never acknowledged Jane's existence, your brother's debt collectors stripped the family of their livelihood before her mother's death. She lives alone in a tenement building and freelances as a superhero who seems to be fully aware that you are her uncle and that you are the Web."

"Yet she's never contacted me," Web realized.

"And why should she?" Latham asked, "You've made it obvious to everyone you won't allow relationships to complicate your life and you won't give money to anything but your cause and the Web Agency."

"What are you expecting here?" Web asked.

"Ideally I'd like you to be a decent human being and embrace the girl as family," Latham confessed, "But barring that, I want her brought in to discuss her options."

"Her name is Jane Raymond," Web mused.

"A play off of John Raymond," Latham pointed out, "It's a funny thing."

"I'll need everything you have on the girl," Web told him.

"KitCat has compiled it all," Latham wore a small smile, "She's taken a personal interest in this case."

"I'm sure she has," Web was still too shaken to be nasty. It seemed today was his day to be punched around by former lovers.

Latham was fully cognizant of the fact John Raymond had dug his own grave with many people in many relationships. And that was even before he became the Web.

* * *

Col. Rick Flagg led the Suicide Squad's "Alpha" team against Gen. Lane's extended forces. His own unit had been spread apart in a skirmish line stretching behind and ahead of Fort Siegel's perimeter fence. Flagg himself found himself confronting Scandal Savage of the Secret Six, the Commander of the Americans, and the Captain of the Civil Defense Corps.

Flagg was aware of Scandal from her lineage as Vandal Savage's daughter and her own bloody résumé as an assassin and later with Nyssa Raatko's Injustice Rogues. The Commander led a team seemingly based on comic book characters and their avenging battle cry of "Americans Assemble." The Commander himself a flag waving, shield toting patriotic zealot. The Captain was more akin to a hybrid parody of General Glory and the Commander.

Flagg watched in dismay as Scandal reconfigured her dreaded Lamentation Blades. She set one to slashing mode and the other to the stabbing configuration. Flagg understood that despite whatever intentions the Commander or the Captain might have, Scandal was there to kill him.

So he took aim with his submachine gun before he could fire the Captain spoiled his shot by interposing himself in front of Scandal. She stabbed him through the heart and lungs and he dropped, coughing up his own blood. The Commander was momentarily paralyzed by the raw brutality of it all.

Scandal devolved into a killing machine and went into a frenzy as she attacked Flagg. He mentally complained that it was fine time for Katana to be distracted.

Katana sized up her opponents with a practiced eye. White Canary was the real threat. Mr. Lucky and X-15 of the Civil Defense Corps were just the cannon fodder to slow her down, so she didn't allow them to. Katana struck with a furious precision that elicited admiration from White Canary and a little trepidation as the SoulTaker consumed the screaming souls of its victims.

"Now it is between you and I," Katana told White Canary.

"As it always was," White Canary prepped her weapons and the battle began.

* * *

Storm-God and Tank Man thought they could easily capture Firehawk. Tank Man was the supposed bodyguard of an industrialist playboy but was his alter ego instead. Storm-God believed himself to be an actual god and not just one of Thor's many bastards. A bastard that had earned the enmity of Sif herself before the Asgardians left Asgard and returned to Hel.

Tank Man's armor appeared to be composed of simple iron but her atomic analysis told Firehawk it was infinitely more complex. It contained Amazonium, which she'd only encountered before in Wonder Woman's bracelets and tiara.

Like Amazonian bracelets, the metal was nearly unbreakable once forged and absorbed vibrations. It seemed the armor even absorbed atomic vibrations. The mythical Thor had used the mallet _Mjolnir_ to manipulate the weather. Storm-God used the axe Wandjina had brought over from Angor.

Like _Mjolnir_ , the axe was a focal point and harnesser of inborn powers as well as a mystical medium all its own. The axe also defied Firehawk's attempts to analyze or manipulate its atomic structure. Which meant she was in trouble.

* * *

"I challenge you cretins to a contest of wits," Puzzler proclaimed. Secret Agent thought he was sly enough to overcome any opponent. East Coast Intellectual simply thought he was brilliant and superior enough to thwart all challengers to his intellect. Puzzler knew without a doubt they had both severely underestimated him.

Southern Cross died with a boomerang imbedded in his forehead. Ole' Miss' throat was slit by a razorang. Wrath plucked the weapon out of the air.

"That's good enough for amateur hour," he determined.

"Me boomers against yer guns?" Captain Boomerang thrilled, "Mate, you've got it goin' on."

* * *

Black Spider made an object lesson out of Mighty Delta when he emptied a clip into the Civil Defense Corpsman. He then set his submachine gun and ammo bandolier down and drew his sickles from his back sheaths, "Want to do this for real?"

"Ready and waiting," Catman flashed the claws imbedded in his gloves.

Titan and Hornet were the husband-wife duo of the Americans. Titan had began as a hero called the Ant but he'd reversed his shrinking process to become Titan. Hornet still shrank to Wasp-size with surgically attached insect wings and wrist mounted bioelectric "stingers".

Hornet and Titan found themselves pitted against Light, who still despaired after the loss of her sister, Lime, and saw the couple as her means to finally end it all.

* * *

Zoom streaked towards Amber Waves, Zoom manipulated temporal shifts to appear faster than those around him. But even as Zoom decapitated Amber Waves, Deadshot but a bullet through Zoom's thigh. Which Zoom took as a challenge to stay alive against the "Man Who Never Missed".

Old Glory was yet another personification of the Spirits of America not unlike Uncle Sam and the Spirit of Lady Liberty. He had led the Civil Defense Corps, their deaths weighed heavily upon him. So much so, he didn't see the hulking King Shark before it was too late.

King Shark literally tore Old Glory in half with his rows of teeth. Knockout was next in line but she merely cracked her knuckles in anticipation, "I'm so gonna enjoy this."

King Shark let the blood dribble down from his jaws, "Yeah, me too."

* * *

El Diablo torched Pharos and Wanderer to death. Freya, named after her stepmother, summoned a blizzard to douse the flames but it was already too late, "Let's see how you fare against a daughter of Odin."

"Why not? Let's," El Diablo was dismissive.

* * *

The Suicide Squad's Bravo team also met resistance on the other side of the fort. Nightshade had worked beside Phantom Lady and Doll Man, but Captain Triumph seemed every bit as crazy as the stories told. Nightshade knew for certain that Captain Triumph was a Majestic-level meta-human but she wasn't certain about the other woman's mental stability.

Phantom Lady utilized aspects of the Phantom Zone the way Nightshade used the Land of the Nightshades. Doll Man, though only five inches high was a mechanical and electronics genius. They were former friends so Nightshade felt a responsibility to go somewhat easy on them. She had no such compunction to do so with Captain Triumph.

Phantasm barely knew anything about Citizen X other than he had gone batshit crazy in Pakistan, thereby humiliating the United States. Red Bee was the replacement for the original Freedom Fighter and she was a veritable unknown. Mayflower was the sole surviving original member of the Force of July and the half-sister to Jade and Obsidian.

Citizen X looked hungry for blood while Reb Bee just looked eager to prove herself to her fellow Freedom Fighters. Meanwhile Mayflower looked despondent most likely because Briar Rose and Andrea Beaumont had been friends until today. But such was the life in covert ops.

* * *

Black Condor flew to meet Silver Swan in the air. She tried to warn him off, "I don't want to hurt you."

"Then surrender and you won't have to," Black Condor made a reasonable offer.

Silver Swan could tell from his voice and demeanor he was smitten with her physical beauty. A beauty that was a hundred percent enchantment from Ares. Her natural appearance had kindly been described as "plain" by the few men that had taken her out on dates.

Parts of her wanted to reciprocate his attraction and another part wanted to hurt him like she knew he would hurt her if she reverted to being Valerie Beaudry. It never occurred to her that he might accept her for who she truly was simply because it had never happened before.

* * *

The Enchantress could sense the mystical nature behind Uncle Sam. Which means her magic could hurt him directly. Miss America was a meta-human with Martian styled strength and telekinesis. Which meant Enchantress could still harm her indirectly through the environment. So she eagerly looked forward to fighting them both, separately and together.

"Can't yoo people eva' fight by yerselves?" Killer Croc asked Major Victory, Lady Liberty and Silent Majority.

"Feeling outnumbered?' Major Victory asked cockily. He snapped his fingers and Silent Majority duplicated himself a dozen times over.

"Or outclassed?" Lady Liberty lowered her energy "torch" and fired at Killer Croc.

"Okay, now I gotta snuff ya," Croc decided.

* * *

The Ray was the third person to carry the title and the powers that went with the name. NoMan was a THUNDER Agent and like all of them, his powers were literally killing him every time he used them. The THUNDER Agents were each given tremendous power but that power slowly to rapidly fried their brains from which the powers derived from them.

The agents felt that their lives were a small price to pay to serve the country. Afterthought had already seen the next few minutes play out and he knew there were no winners.

Punch and Jewlee faced down Lightning and Dynamo, the two electrical THUNDER Agents. Lightning wasn't to be confused with Jennifer Pierce. The agents' lightning powers were pitted against the squaders' power gems, an interesting confrontation.

Psi's mental powers were counteracted by the THUNDER Agent called Menthors, but like all of his fellow THUNDER Agents, his life was severely shortened by great use of his powers. Psi, while unaware of that fact, was already determined to push him to the limits of his endurance and beyond.

* * *

"Is your whole body made of metal?" Magno was the second man to carry that title. The first had served with the Freedom Fighters while the current Magno served beside the Crusaders.

"Why don'choo find out?" Shrapnel "detonated" in every direction and his component shards were suspended in midair by a magnetic field.

"Now this is rife with possibilities," Magno chuckled.

* * *

Jester had briefly served beside Firebrand, so he knew the limits of her pyrokinetic ability, both factual and self imposed. Libertine was a question mark, but Jester still felt humbled at failing to displace Jongleur as a contender for the Joker's empty throne. So he determined to prove his worthiness once again in the manner in which Libertine died.

* * *

In the Meta-Human Response Division's Ops Center located beneath Fort Siegel, Weatherman, formerly of Stormwatch, joined Gen. Sam Lane in repositioning reserve assets. Oracle defended the systems against cyber attack by Hack during the Suicide Squad's attempted infiltration. Projectionist monitored all electromagnetic emissions and transmissions. Jenny Quantum stood by to teleport essential command personnel to safety if required to.

Backlash and his daughter, Crimson, stood with Ditto to unleash a reprisal should the base's defenders falter. Backlash was half-human and half-Kherabim and his daughter had inherited many of his gifts. Ditto was a Gen14 experiment that had escaped from Ivana Baiul and John Lynch before his death. They were willing to make the Suicide Squad live up to its name.

* * *

Reactron and Cyclotron guarded the exterior of the stockade, but they eagerly anticipated joining the developing fray. Inside, Agent Liberty and Guardian worried over Lucy Lane's fate, Guardian in particular agonized over her prospects.

Unknown Soldier was there to insure Guardian or any other asset wouldn't liberate Maj. Lane. In the prison interior, Lucy was being guarded by the Fighting American, Minute-Man, Yankee Girl, and the Bulleteer. Fighting American, Bulleteer and even Yankee Girl were doubting the validity of their charge to guard over Lucy.

His particular concern was with Fighting American besides Guardian. both were insufferable bleeding hearts. Of course, if they had an ounce of pity towards Maj. Lane they'd put a bullet in her brain pan and get Gen. Lane's head games done and over with.

Lucy could tell the guards were unhappy and only one of which seemed like a loyalist to her father's cause. The one they called Yankee Girl was more ambivalent. Bulleteer and Fighting American were definitely swayed towards her side of things though. They saw a frame up when they examined even a modicum of the evidence.

Lucy had only surrendered to tell her side of the story to a Board of Inquiry, but the ostensibly illegal nature of Gen. Lane's operation kept her from appearing before one. So Lucy was focused on how to exit her cell and reclaim her Superwoman gear. Then she'd break out and shut her father down.

* * *

The Sandmen Corps, Psycho Troopers, and Black Razors stayed near the mecha garage as a ready reserve. Their secondary objective was to prevent Superwoman from escaping which seemed a colossal waste of time considering the assets poured into detaining her.

* * *

Magnificus Sivana finally got to flex his bulging muscles against Overman, who seemed like a twin for Superman. But Magnificus gave it no further thought than that.

Thaddeus Sivana Jr. welcomed fighting the Martian. His extensive training in combating telepathic assaults placed him in good stead against the Martian and physically they were equals.

Sivana Jr. began to wonder if the Martian was vulnerable to fire as all Green Martians were purported to be. Thaddeus assumed he would soon find out.

Satana's animal men trapped Brunhilde, Leatherwing, and Blitzen. Their sheer savagery pushed the New Reichsmen back. But Brunhilde would be pushed no further and Leatherwing rallied Blitzen as she went in search of the source of the problem.

* * *

"Amazing, you look just like a clean shaven Aquaman," Devil Ray remarked.

"I'm so glad you approve," Underwaterman sneered.

"Killing you will be nearly as enjoyable as slaying him," Devil Ray decided.

* * *

Overgirl found herself at a disadvantage for the first time. Georgia Sivana was as mighty as Black Mary without a shred of compassion. Overgirl was half human and therefore a paler shade of her father.

Georgia, despite her newfound beauty, was jealous of Overgirl's looks. She was determined to scar the _fraulein_ before she killed her. Both possibilities excited Georgia.

* * *

Captain Nazi barely recognized Black Sivana, " _Mein Gott_! What has happened to you, _Herr Doktor_?"

"I have achieved real power! By killing you I will grow closer to being the World's Mightiest Mortal!" Black Sivana declared.

"But you know I won't simply let you kill me," Captain Nazi replied.

"Good," Black Sivana relished the challenge.

* * *

Baron Blitzkrieg could enhance his physical attributes through psionic means. The same mental strength that increased his strength, speed and allowed him to fly also made it possible for him to resist Psycho Pirate's Medusa Mask. But it took every erg of his concentration.

At over one hundred years old, Baron Blitzkrieg wondered if he still had enough unenhanced wherewithal to kill Psycho Pirate with his bare hands. He supposed he was about to find out.

* * *

Dr. Demon's internal sensors detected Fright's fear gas. Dr. Demon's own increased flight or fight reaction told her she'd been dosed. Baroness Blood and the Hun had the opposite reaction. Their fear response trigger ramped up their aggression.

The Hun was armed with the fabled Shield of Attila the Hun. It mystically gave him super strength and reflexes and it also increased his adrenal secretions.

Baroness Blood underwent a similar reaction to the fear toxin. While the Hun saw Fright and wanted to get at her. Baroness Blood appeared to be in his way so he simply attacked her to clear his path. Only she resisted. And Fright laughed as the Nazis fought each other.

* * *

Prof. Poison used a rotary launcher to fire auto dispensing needles into Madame Libertine. The irony was Prof. Poison was secretly a respected doctor. He was engaged to Brenda Boyle, who was secretly his arch-nemesis, April Amazing. So it seemed they truly didn't know each other very well.

Madame Libertine faltered and Prof. Poison gloated, but the young Nazi wasn't finished yet.

* * *

Captain Murder was having the time of her young life. Since having her meta-gene activated, she'd found few individuals capable of challenging her. Bizarro Girl turned out to be one of them and even better she was immensely powerful and extremely stupid. Something that Captain Murder looked for in potential dates. It was just too bad Bizarro Girl lacked a dick in Captain Murder's opinion.

But for now Captain Murder would content herself with taking a Bizarro apart.

* * *

"I know you are the infamous Brain and his lover, _Monsieur_ Mallah," Baron Gestapo greeted the invaders.

"And you're pretending to be a dead man,:" Brain scoffed.

Mallah huffed his laughter. Baron Gestapo was irritated, "Laugh while you can. But I shall finally kill you where others have failed."

"Even the Doom patrol couldn't kill us," Brain spoke as if to a simpleton, "They died instead."

"But I am not the Doom Patrol," Baron Gestapo advised Brain and Mallah.

* * *

Baroness Blitzkrieg found herself stumbling and falling before Count Vertigo and his inducer. She was helpless as he pulled her mask off. Vertigo's home nation had been occupied by Nazi Germany, so he was startled to discover Baroness Blitzkrieg was principally Mayan and not Germanic by birth.

* * *

Satan Girl stood by Per Degaton standing in an as his bodyguard. Signalman led Prof. Ivo and the Mad Hatter into the relabeled Hall of National Socialism. Shaggy Man served as Ivo's protector.

Signalman urged the others forward as they cleared the main entrance and entered the foyer, "Up ahead."

"You've come quite far enough," Satan Girl emerged from a shadow.

"Welcome Gentlemen," Degaton applauded their effort, "I see you've made yourselves at home. Now I fear Satan Girl must eject you. I have more important matters to deal with than your destruction, you see."

"Ivo, release him," Signalman instructed.

"Shaggy Man, destroy everyone and everything," Ivo commanded. Shaggy Man roared his compliance.

* * *

Selina Kyle's penetration of Belle Reve continued. Kitrina Falcone continued her vigil with a great deal of boredom. Selina had promised Kitrina the opportunity to drive the "Cat Mobile" during their getaway, so the fourteen year old was quite eager for Catwoman to get in and out of the black site prison.

Inside Belle Reve, Selina continued to shadow a veteran guard in her role as a newly assigned rookie. Selina hoped the real Gladys Felderhoff was enjoying her unplanned vacation in the Bahamas courtesy of Intergang. Julie Sazia had promised not to harm Gladys as a condition of Selina's hire.

Selina was startled to learn Belle Reve's true mission as a government covert operations facility. So-called super villains were injected with remotely detonated bombs and sent forth on suicide missions on behalf of the United States. Actual military covert ops personnel accompanied the subdued operatives to direct their effort and trigger the bombs if it were deemed necessary.

Selina knew before her stints with two Justice Leagues she could have easily ended up in an environment such as this. She was hardly surprised to learn it was all Amanda Waller's brainchild. Having served directly under the Wall in the Justice League of America, Selina was well aware of Waller's disregard for human lives.

Having scouted the prison, Selina took the opportunity during a break to access the ventilation system and crawl her way to a personal effects locker room set aside for the convicts' belongings. A locker room which held a vault in it. That was Selina's principle target.

Selina's first overture in the property room was to shrug out of the drab uniform she wore and attire herself in her Catwoman gear. She wanted everyone to know who she was when she escaped. The property room was the only room in the facility without CCTVs. Even the cells and the restrooms had cameras inside of them. Apparently the Fourth Amendment's implied guarantee of privacy that secured abortion rights in Roe vs. Wade didn't apply here.

The air vent was guarded by lasers, so Selina carefully rerouted them before disabling them. Lowering herself to the floor, she took the chance of activating pressure sensors. But apparently the concrete floor was just that. Examining the vault, she expertly detected the explosives lining it. One mistake and ker-frickin'-boom!

Finally, something in Belle Reve challenged Catwoman.

* * *

In the Ops Center, Gwen Cormaugh received a call regarding a misplaced rookie guard. James Gordon Jr. took an interest. He began replaying all of "Gladys Felderhoff's" steps. Including enhancing and freezing her face.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat literally dragged in," he chuckled.

Karin Grace took a look, "Isn't that Catwoman?"

"The one and only," Gordon Jr. laughed, "It seems security has been penetrated."

Karin sounded the alarms. Hack used facial recognition software to search for Selina Kyle. Without success.

* * *

"Thank you for both of you supporting the Birds of Prey," Helena Bertinelli told Karen Starr and Mary Batson, "We wouldn't have gotten off the ground without the both of you and Starrware."

"Sure, use me for my money," Karen sounded wistful.

"You have to admit, this company is an economic miracle," Helena remarked.

"Not really, I just have a natural aptitude for investing. And Blackhawk explained market economics to me and nurtured me along when I first started," Karen referred to her deceased husband back from when she was still Galatea Hamilton.

"And now she has me," Mary interjected to switch the subject from Blackhawk to anything else.

"True, Mary is as astute when it comes to potential lucrative investments as I've ever been," Karen agreed. But the immodesty went to demonstrating just how greatly Mary Batson had changed since her sojourn on Earth-3. An Earth that no longer existed.

Once upon a time comparisons between Black Mary and Mistress Mary would have horrified Mary, but now they merely amused her. Perhaps the most profound change of all.

"We need to find a way to help clear the Justice League," Helena insisted.

"Why bother?" Mary snorted.

"Because we'll be next on Luthor's target list," Karen shared.

"Then why don't we just kill him?" Mary asked.

Helena and Karen exchanged worried glances.


	7. Chapter 7

26

"Gen. Latham has pledged that the MLJ Initiative's support for us will only increase even though Amanda Waller has tasked ARGUS with apprehending us," Col. Steve Trevor began his debrief, "We all know the problem all started when the United Nations Security Council appointed Lex Luthor as the UN's Global Policy Advisor with veto authority over any collective or unilateral decision made by a UN branch or agency. His first piece of advice was to brand the Justice League Unlimited as criminals, so a casefile was doctored and sent before the World Court leaving them no choice but to indict us."

Trevor took a deep breath, "Most of the world's law enforcement agencies are taking a 'don't ask and don't tell' approach towards us. The principle players arrayed against us are ARGUS and the UN's International Security Agency with internal policies having left Spyral, SHADE, and the DEO out of that loop."

"Which is really odd when you think about it," Shayera Hol remarked, "The United Nations has tasked their least capable asset into arresting us. ARGUS is an equally poor choice since the agency's primary concern is hiding its own existence."

"And we have to wonder where are Gen. Sam Lane and the Meta-Human Response Division in all of this," Hula Hula added, "Simply put, people are trying to arrest us but they're not trying very hard. It all seems pro forma."

"It seemed that Latham had the Web Agency targeting everyone," Zinda Blake was back from her errand.

"Latham expected you to all be gone by the time the Web Agency arrived," Trevor told them, "It was a case where CYA dictated he have at least one asset make the attempt for appearance sake."

"But the MLJ is so dedicated to assisting us they're activating a third unit to serve beside the Mighty Crusaders and the Web Agency," Shayera revealed, "This third umbrella isn't even known to the rest of the agency yet."

"What about that Web guy?" Atom asked, "He seemed sort of unhinged."

"Latham described the Web as a show boater," Trevor answered, "He wanted the glory of your capture to demonstrate the necessity of his newborn agency. An agency which still shares his name and common origin but he no longer has any affiliation with it."

"The General makes him out to be a rich kid wanting to make good and enjoy a little glory along the way," Hula Hula offered, "Think Booster Gold back in the day."

"There isn't much glory in this business. If that's his motivation he might as well quit now," Superman retorted.

"Latham may have found him a better motivator," Shayera smirked.

* * *

John Raymond teleported from Destruction Island to San Francisco. There he began his search for his niece, Jane Raymond. John was reminded of his father's dying words advocating John as the better businessman but his brother, David, as the better man. It seemed now that when his father forbade David from marrying his Korean girlfriend, Seo-yeon, that David spirited her away from Silicon Valley and helped support her.

He visited every weekend before and after Jane was born. David and Seo-yeon even married in a civil ceremony after his father's demise, but John and David's mother, Elaine, disinherited David. David's career as a social worker didn't pay the mounting costs of the Bay Area and Seo-yeon's equally mounting medical bills. Which explained why David went to loan sharks to pay for experimental pharmaceutical treatments from Dr. Archer. Debts that mounted until he was killed over them.

Seo-yeon died shortly after David was murdered. Jane should have had a court appointed guardian and her protected assets and trust fund handled in a way to pay for her education and housing. Instead, thanks to her grandmother, she'd been homeless after her father's debt collectors took everything from her.

Jane's address was a tenement apartment that looked condemned. After quick check, John found the building actually was condemned and awaiting demolition. When John reached Jane's door, it was locked but barely on its hinges. So he simply lifted it aside and walked in.

He'd never known Seo-yeon that well but he couldn't believe she'd raised her daughter to be such a slob. He heard the floor creak and ducked under the swinging bat just in time, "Jane! Wait!"

"Get out,Whitey!" Jane roared as she went for a second swing.

"Jane! I'm John Raymond! I'm your goddamn uncle!" John spewed forth in a rush.

She dropped the bat, "Shit! The prick has come a-calling."

"Hello to you too," John was still ruffled, "Whatever happened to your mother?"

"See the urn in the widow? Say 'hi' to mom for me," Jane flippantly remarked.

But John knew pain when he heard it, "And my mother has blocked your funds."

"Hey! You're smart," Jane caustically retorted.

"How do you pay for…this? What is this?" John asked.

"The rent is weekly and the owner-slash-squatter can't take you to court if you're a few days behind. Mostly I work freelance for web sites," Jane explained.

"What sites?" John asked then sputtered as she told him, "Those are porn sites."

"Ree-lax," Jane brushed his indignation aside, "I don't do naked and I don't perform. I write erotica."

"You're fourteen!" John protested, "I can't leave you here like this."

"Who says you have a choice?" Suddenly Jane had the bat in her hands again.

"One call to Child Protective and you'll end up in my custody eventually," John warned her.

"One call and I'm in Oakland before you can catch me," Jane coiled like a tiger.

"Look, you know about my other identity. That's why you stole my name; I think you were reaching out to see if I'd ever bother noticing," John told her, "I know who had your dad killed and who let your mom just die."

"I'm not becoming a Web Host or joining any stupid Web Agency," Jane did her own share of warnings.

"Agreed," John was just happy she was relaxing instead of looking for ways to split his skull open, "Pack light."

"Let's bounce," she said as she grabbed her backpack.

"Um…I could send someone to get your…things," John offered.

"It's all crap anyway. You'll buy me new stuff," Jane countered.

"I guess you're a teenager after all," John started to grin, "How do we reach the roof?"

"A helicopter would've caved the building in," Jane said dryly.

"I have access to something better," John advised her, "We're going to see a man who wants to make your other identity an offer."

* * *

"General, Special Agent Strander has reached out to every federal agency on the list and they're willing to play along…except for ARGUS," KitCat told Latham.

"If you continue being so formal I'll have to start referring to you as 'Elizabeth'," Latham chuckled.

"God forbid," KitCat laughed.

"We're doing the right thing here," Latham promised her.

"History will judge and depending on how it comes down on Luthor, it'll applaud us or condemn us," KitCat realized.

"Have all our surprise guests arrived?" Latham asked.

"Most. We're still having trouble running a few of them down," KitCat hated to admit, "Web and Web just got in."

"Please escort the young lady to the briefing theater and make certain she actually stays for the offer," Latham requested.

"I think I can bribe her," KitCat wore a knowing smile.

* * *

Latham entered the secondary briefing theater. Carol had the Mighty Crusaders in the speaking hall styled primary theater. Latham had chosen the classroom fashioned secondary hall for a reason. While Carol was briefing the Mighty Crusaders on the nature of the MLJ's ongoing efforts on the Justice League's behalf, Latham was on a recruiting drive.

"Welcome to Liberty Station one and all," Latham began, "I'm Gen. Jack Latham, Director of the MLJ Initiative. Most of you are here as a complete surprise to yourselves, a few others not so much. For them it's just the end of a rather remarkable day so far."

Latham judged the reactions of his polar opposites. The Web, namely Jane Raymond, and Blackjack were the poles in this instance. Each represented an opposing reaction to this encounter. But Jane also happily swilled the latte KitCat had ordered for her in the mess hall.

"Many of you were previously approached in regard to joining the Mighty Crusaders. You universally declined," Latham added, "Now I'm offering a second chance. But not to join the Mighty Crusaders. Rather as a reserve team to be called the Shadow Crusaders. The Shadow Crusaders would serve as a unit against foes too great for the Mighty Crusaders to handle alone and other teams would be unavailable to deal with. Secondly, the Shadow Crusaders would be tapped for missions where their talents were most needed. Some of you already displayed a willingness to help out in times of crisis."

"That was a one time event," the Marvel warned Latham.

"Really? Because it doesn't have to be," Latham countered.

"For the sake of argument, how would this theoretically work?" Hangman asked.

Latham already preferred this Hangman over Robert Dickering, "Individuals would be selected on the basis of need and the lack of specialty covered within the Mighty Crusaders."

"What about our autonomy?" Mr. Justice sharply inquired.

"Would remain intact," Latham promised, "You could decline participation even when called upon. Of course, if you're always declining we'd revisit your membership. But if you're involved in a scenario that requires your full undivided attention, even the Mighty Crusaders have a right to back out of a MLJ effort at that point."

"And we'd be able to define what constitutes requiring our full attention?" the Wizard asked.

"Precisely," Latham confirmed it.

"Why us?" the Scarlet Avenger wanted to know.

"You're all unaffiliated," Latham answered, "Which makes you invisible to most agencies and to the bureaucracy that runs them."

"And to the bad guys tapping those databases," Press Guardian realized.

"So we'd be shadows," Falcon commented.

"Hence the name: Shadow Crusaders," Latham replied.

"What benefit would membership be?" Captain Flag eyed his eagle, Yank, in turn eyeballing Hangman's crow.

"You'd have the full resources of data, intelligence, analysis, and personnel of the MLJ at your disposal towards all of your cases," Latham vowed.

"That could be…convenient," Mr. Midnight admitted.

"I'd have to say the house favors your odds, General," Blackjack was beginning to see the light.

"I hate to be the obvious stick in the mud, but I'm only fourteen," Web grimaced.

"The original Shield had a sidekick named Dusty the Boy Detective," Nevada Jones told her, "He later became known as the Flagbearer. But when the Shield disappeared, Dusty retired."

"And raised a family," Latham revealed, "We're having trouble contacting him."

"And I'm only here as a measure of cooperation between the MLJ and its Canadian counterpart," Canadian Shield advised them.

"I as well," Captain Victory nodded his agreement.

"Hereby cementing the relationship between our agencies to the Mighty and Shadow Crusaders can operate beside you within your borders," Latham spoke legalese.

"I believe young Web is still awaiting an answer," Hangman broke his silence again.

"I'll give you everything we have on Dr. Archer and the Global Concern as well as the means to pursue him. Fair enough?" Latham knew revenge was a powerful motivator. Look at the elder Web.

"It's a start," Web conceded.

"Then I put it to you all individually and collectively, will you join us?" Latham asked.

"I'll join," Captain Valor was the first to pledge.

"So will I," the moment Captain Commando seconded the proposition. The others fell in line afterwards. Only the Marvel and Press Guardian were still reluctant to do so. Latham would speak directly with them. But first…

Latham had a word with Captain Commando about his predecessor and the nature of the Captain Commando's mission beside American Shield, Doc Strong, Firefly, and Bob Phantom inside the Evil Brain Trust.

* * *

Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern arrived at the designated extraction point to be teleported to Antarctica. There they found a bloodied and broken Divine while returning to base. Captain Cold and his team had arrived just seconds before them. No one else radioed in for a similar extraction.

Dr. Mist looked crushed as he took Owlwoman's statement from her cataloguing the losses her team had endured. Belphegor summoned Divine but they found she was missing along with L-Ron. Dr. Mist hardly seemed surprised by the turn of events.

"Unlike Kara In-Ze or Galatea, Divine will heal over a matter of days rather than hours," he told them, "But she still represents a significant investment to Max Lord and he will protect her at all costs. Until her death is meaningful to him, that is."

"So most of our members are dead and our mightiest survivor is too wounded to function. Besides the fact she's AWOL," Belphegor summarized.

"Very succinct," Dr. Mist sighed, "Did anyone track what happened to Ultrawoman?"

"I didn't have the opportunity but I assume she's dead like everyone else," Owlwoman spoke.

"I rather doubt Lex Luthor would allow his troops to kill his only sister," Dr. Mist informed the beleaguered group.

"What?" Owlwoman exploded.

"Ease up, Wenonah. Lena is completely opposed to Lex's criminal activities," Dr. Mist promised her.

"Why? So she can take them over?" Owlwoman wanted to know.

Captain Cold and Golden Glider hadn't been this thoroughly entertained in months. Mist scolded Owlwoman, "Evil isn't genetic."

"But the nurture side o' that argument goes a long way, Doc," Jack interjected, "I knew plenty in the Real IRA that proved that point."

Captain Cold and Golden Glider exchanged rueful glances. If they'd known Jack had been a terrorist, they might have incorporated him into their burgeoning schemes. Schemes that had died with the rest of the JLA.

"And the Fey found something redeemable in you to give you Daniel's lantern," Belphegor replied, "Despite Lena's disability she was considered a high value asset by Max Lord."

"Disability?" Red Star was skeptical.

"Lena Luthor suffers from a rare, debilitating genetic disorder afflicting the central nervous system. She lost the use of her legs when she was fourteen. Lex was eighteen at the time.

"Then how is she walking much less displaying super powers?" Major Disaster wanted to know.

"Lex performed a genetic manipulation by altering her fundamental DNA. It restored her ability to walk…and provided certain enhancements," Dr. Mist was quiet clinical.

"So Luthor is why she can walk," Captain Cold summarized.

"And you expect her to go against him?" Golden Glider was openly incredulous.

"I expect Lena to know right from wrong and act appropriately," Dr. Mist declared.

"Despite allowing her teammates to all die?" Kid Impala condemned Ultrawoman's actions.

"There is a very probable truth she couldn't do anything to help them," Dr. Mist said sadly.

Silver Sorceress brought her teammates back to Antarctica at that point.

* * *

Lex and Lena Luthor were reunited. No one dared take that moment from him. They'd never seen him happy before. It had always seemed an impossibility.

Luthor brought Lena to his private suite beneath Trans Noble, "Be it ever so humble."

"Not quite as impressive as your penthouse atop LexCorp," Lena remarked.

"Yes, I expected Talia to manage the Board but she deserted her post. It seems it's a habit with her," Luthor drolly replied.

"And there is a way to reclaim the kingdom," Lena stated, "I can take Mercy Grave's position and return LexCorp to the Luthors."

"Why would you do that?" Luthor mused.

"Unlike you, I see LexCorp as a force for good and for positive change," Lena told him, "Of course, when I change the name from Mercy Corp it would be to LuthorCorp to homogenize the brand name and to distance the company from my 'insane' brother."

"You've given this some thought," Luthor deduced.

"I've had almost twenty years to dream of that moment," Lena admitted.

"And the neo-Superwoman bodysuit?" Luthor inquired of Lena's Earth-3 fashion role model.

"A gift from the Everyman Project to go with the other gift you stole from them," she transformed into a human-Bizarro hybrid and back again, "You gave me far more than just my legs."

"I suppose you have an outré name to go with the getup," Luthor mused.

"I'm becoming known as Ultrawoman and as such I would lead Team Luthor from the front," Lena confided.

"So you want to revive Team Luthor _and_ the Everyman Project," Luthor realized the true scope of her ambitions now, "You do realize Team Luthor was a publicity stunt to undermine the public's trust in Superman?"

"But it could be made viable," Lena insisted, "I just need the Board to propose my inclusion in corporate affairs and Mercy's outing. Then I can begin to reshape public perception of Luthor Corp in ways Mercy Graves never dreamt of."

"And what becomes of Mercy?" Luthor's voice held a nasty edge.

"I never waste resources, Lex. If Mercy decides to stay on with the company I'll invest her into Team Luthor and the Everyman Project so she could make it her own," Lena predicted, "She strikes me as the type that would stay on just to insure I don't become the next you."

"And it will give her a false sense of security believing she can prevent me from accessing corporate resources," Luthor chuckled, "I approve. I have a wardrobe with suitable attire available. I can have my men on the Board of Directors call for an emergency meeting and call for a vote of no confidence in Mercy's leadership. They will then nominate you to take the Chief Executive Officer position. Chairman of the Board can come later after you've secured their greedy trust."

"And while you use your position with the United Nations to reform public opinion of you, I'll do the same for the family company," Lena assured him, "Make certain your proxy vote is prepared in advance."

"My majority share will get you appointed whether or not anyone else on the Board defies my wishes. But there will be hell to pay if they do," Luthor pledged.

* * *

Scandal Savage used her Lamentation Blades to try and stab or slash Col. Rick Flagg. He blocked her efforts using his submachine gun, but each block left him open to a secondary attack. Betting everything on one wild swing, he managed to clock her in the head with his rifle butt.

"That wasn't particularly nice," the Commander lectured him.

"Sorry `bout that, Commander America. But she did cut down her own teammate," Flagg riposted.

"It's just _Commander_ ," he lifted his shield to defend himself while holding his pistol ready but not yet aimed.

"I'm sorry about this," Flagg fired at Commander but the bullets harmlessly bounced of the man's shield. It wasn't dented, nicked, or even scratched.

"What is that thing made of?" Flagg had to wonder.

"An impossible alloy blend of vanadium, titanium, and Amazonium," Commander was more than happy to tell him.

"Amazonium?" Flagg yelped, "That's only found on Themyscira," Flagg refused to believe it.

"It's found elsewhere but its the rarest metal on Earth. The Russians managed to nearly duplicate this effort but between the two shields it represents every scrap of Amazonium ever found," Commander told him.

Scandal lunged at Flagg and resumed her attack with less coordination than before. Commander was pledged to defend lives. Every life, in fact. He hurled his shield and it ricocheted off of Scandal's temple, knocking her out for the duration of the fight. Commander retrieved his defensive weapon.

"Who are you, anyway?" he asked Flagg.

Flagg told him adding, "I was formerly with Delta Force but now I'm attached to ARGUS."

"We Americans were also part of ARGUS until we were transferred to the Department of Defense," Commander mulled it over, "Why would Waller pit you against us?"

"She didn't," Flagg spoke the truth, "Lane has."

"This is very disturbing," Commander realized, "We need to confront the general together."

"Given the reports I've read of the general's mentality, confrontation doesn't yield much," Flagg advised Commander.

"I've heard the stories about Maj. Lane and the charges against her," Commander shared.

"And they're probably mostly true," Flagg stated.

"I see," Commander was deeply troubled which led Flagg to believe the stories were worse than he'd expected from Trevor's reports.

"So you'll let my team pass?" Flagg was hopeful.

"I'm afraid not. My orders to detain you still stand. You'd have to escape for me to let you go," Commander said nonchalantly.

Flagg dropped his submachine gun and drew his pistol in one motion. He grazed a bullet across commander's arm and thigh, "Those were clean hits. You should make a complete recovery."

"You really have no idea," Commander secretly referred to the superior soldier serum running through his veins, "I guess you and yours get to pass anyway despite orders."

Flagg knew Commander had left himself open to his attack.

* * *

White Canary pitted her _jian_ double edged sword and _dao_ saber against Katana's SoulTaker. It was two blades versus one, and the woman with the single sword was dominating White Canary. White Canary couldn't believe Katana's inhuman speed and her hands appeared to be on fire.

Tatsu Yamashiro had been a prodigy and a _kendo_ champion but Tatsu Toro, the widow of Maseo Yamashiro and of his brother Takeo in her heart, disarmed White Canary of both blades within seconds of each other. White Canary understood Katana had merely been toying with her, testing her measure. And she had most definitely been found wanting as an opponent.

"Katana! Don't kill her," Flagg ordered.

"She'll rise up against us later," Katana counseled him.

"Her focus is on Black Canary and the other Team 7 survivors. Let Dinah Lance or Slade Wilson have her blood on their hands," Flagg almost pleaded.

"I don't want her blood. Just her soul," Katana seemed manic.

"Then take it!" White Canary hissed at her.

"You want to die," Katana lowered her sword, "Very well. Your punishment is to live with the knowledge you should have died and were spared… _again_."

White Canary made an animal noise as he lunged at Katana. But Katana knocked her out with the pommel of her sword, "She'll live but she'll never thank you."

"I can cope," Flagg replied, "Now, we split up and assist those that need our help."

"That will be everyone," Katana predicted.

* * *

Storm-God summoned a localized thunderstorm. Firehawk replied by creating a three story grounding rod to distract Storm-God. Tank Man opened fire with his palm embedded repulsors. She generated a steel reinforced concrete dome over him.

Storm-God channeled lighting into his axe and then streamed it into Firehawk. Who was blissfully unaffected, "I'm grounded, red."

Apparently the demigod wasn't too bright. Firehawk gave him the same treatment Tank Man had received but in the form of a straight jacket. Tank Man broke free at that point and used his boot thrusters to hop his way towards Firehawk. She wondered if he could clear a tall building in a single bound.

She created a tar pit along his trajectory arc and it fouled his thruster system. Storm-God managed to free himself and was practically frothing at the mouth. She pointed beneath her at Tank Man.

"Better help your buddy," she cajoled him.

Storm-God strode out to meet Tank Man and tried to lift him free and sank in the tar instead. Firehawk wore a victorious grin.

"Gotcha!" she happily shouted to both of her opponents' annoyance.

* * *

As the verbal sparring intensified, Secret Agent was more self assured than ever before. And East Coast Intellectual basked in his own perceived sense of superiority. But they neglected to acknowledge that Puzzler was infamous enough to warrant a place in Task Force X.

"Let's change this game," Puzzler revealed a razorang Captain Boomerang had lost to him in a poker game, "Feel free to dodge and weave."

He threw the weapon to the side with it's trajectory arc perfectly planned. Only as it neared the two Civil Defense Corpsmen did they begin to move. But the seemingly wobbly pattern of the razorang's arc took it past them anyway. Close enough to slit both of their throats. Then the razorang returned to Puzzler's hand.

"Never _ever_ underestimate me," Puzzler advised the corpses.

* * *

Captain Boomerang had two razorangs already in play while he added an explosive boomerang and a heavy "clubbarang" to the fray. The proximity detonation of the explosive _boom!_ erang knocked Wrath off of his evasive rhythm and fouled his own rifle shot. Three razorangs embedded themselves into Wrath's body armor. Including one in his primary hand.

"Gah!" Wrath cried.

Then the clubbarang hit him in the back of the helmeted head, just enough to stagger him once again. Captain Boomerang approached wielding two razorangs as knives, "Oi! You wanted to test yerself against Boomer? Now ya've got me, mate."

Wrath used his left hand to aim a pistol at Boomerang's head, "Indeed I do."

A short burst of machine pistol fire knocked Wrath off of his feet. He lay wheezing from broken ribs when Flagg reached him. Captain Boomerang was impressed.

"I didn't know ya cared about meself, Colonel," Captain Boomerang gloated.

"Personally I don't," Flagg advised him, "But you represent a serious investment of taxpayer dollars. So I'm going to work that money out of you. I need you alive to do so."

"So this doesn't have anything to do with me saving yer life in Paris?" Captain Boomerang mused.

"You did what you did to save your own life," Flagg grated, "I don't owe you for a selfish act."

"There's hope fer ya yet, mate," Captain Boomerang approved.

* * *

Black Spider fought Catman to a standstill. They currently propped themselves up off of their knees, scratched, nicked, and bleeding on the grass. Katana intervened by placing the SoulTaker's edge against Catman's throat.

"Time to stand down," she informed him.

"And if I don't?" Catman asked.

Katana stepped back and put her sword in a ready stance. Then a cage formed around him replete with a litter box. Firehawk landed, "We'll house break you yet."

"Come, we must withdraw the others," Katana asserted her position as Flagg's lieutenant.

* * *

Light barely resisted Hornet and Titan, but a razorang clipped Hornet's wings and she resumed her human stature while they regrew. Her stingers drove him back. Black Spider disabled her with a never pinch and she crumpled into his arms.

"Nooo!" Titan's booming voice could be heard across the entire base.

Captain Boomerang did the honor of knocking Titan out with his last explosive boomerang.

Black Spider pulled a whimpering Light along to the extraction point.

* * *

Puzzler accurately informed Flagg of how to disable all of Deadshot's weapon with just three bullets and how Deadshot would respond after each rifle round was fired. Puzzler then tended Zoom's wounds and got him ambulatory again.

"You were one of us once so I'll let you off with a warning," Flagg told Deadshot, "But next time it's for real."

"Too bad for you," Deadshot chuckled.

* * *

King Shark and Knockout fought to a standstill until Knockout's uppercut clamped his jaws shut. He staggered until her following right cross put him down. Then Katana stepped in and delivered several debilitating cuts to Knockout's limbs and side.

"Choose wisely," Katana advised, "The battle or your lover."

She pointed the SoulTaker across to where Scandal Savage lay unconscious. Knockout scowled, "You're lucky."

Knockout abandoned a fight for the first time in her life.

* * *

El Diablo and the ironically named Freya were evenly matched. Freya was Odin's daughter through a human but named after Odin's own long suffering wife. Freya was unprepared for Firehawk's interference.

A heated down dome encapsulated Freya and El Diablo's flames and stroked the internal temperatures. When Firehawk reverted the dome back to noble gases, all that remained inside was a steaming puddle of ice water. The image disturbed Firehawk.

"Um…that's weird," she managed to say.

"No stranger than us," El Diablo was much more nonchalant.

"Now that we've secured Alpha's exit, let's assist Bravo in the same," Flagg ordered the team.

* * *

Nightshade attempted to shift Captain Triumph into the Land of the Nightshades. Everything there was as dark and psychotic as the vibe the good captain eked out. But Phantom Lady interfered but in that interference, Nightshade lost her "grip" on Captain Triumph and the other woman was cast adrift. Which could only lead to madness and death.

Triumph was a Majestic-level meta-human. Since her gen factor had been activated by John Lynch and Ivana Baiul, she had a host of powers equal to a Kryptonian or a Daxamite. More akin to a Daxamite since she needn't fear kryptonite and thoroughly human because her powers weren't derived from a yellow sun. The Stormwatch agent Apollo would have been a closer analog.

But with Majestic and Apollo's death and Majestros leaving Earth, that left precious few rivals for Captain Triumph. Even the Marvel Family was basically defunct. Nightshade knew if Captain Triumph was returned to Earth and still seemed normal, then she really was already insane.

Phantom Lady and Doll Man battled Nightshade despite their former sympathies with her. Katana interrupted by clubbing Phantom Lady over the head with the SoulTaker's hilt. Then an expert punch knocked Stormy Knight out.

Doll Man fired a brace of micro missiles at Katana, who simply swept them out of the air with a single sword stroke. Nightshade used the chilling factor of the Land of Nightshades to envelope Doll Man in darkness and cause him to pass out. Then she retrieved Captain Triumph.

Other than being knocked unconscious by the horrors within the Land of Nightshades, Captain Triumph didn't seem overly distressed. A fact which worried Nightshade.

"This way," Katana demanded.

Nightshade unhappily followed.

* * *

Phantasm was actually grateful Mayflower stepped away from the struggle. Red Bee and Citizen X were both expert fighters. Andrea Beaumont had learned martial arts in earnest after she and her father fled Gotham City for Europe. Andrea's enthusiasm became an obsession as she planned the long road towards revenge for those that killed her father and drove her from Bruce Wayne's arms.

It took every lesson Phantasm had ever learned, before and after the mask, to fight off Red Bee and Citizen X. So Phantasm used the smoke ejectors in her left glove to blanket Citizen X and like Batman had discovered years ago, the smoke clung to him. Which gave her a free shot at Red Bee.

Red Bee exuded skill but she desperately lacked experience. Phantasm easily overpowered Red Bee once she was alone in the fight. Andrea narrowly ducked Citizen X's counterattack.

His goal was plainly to kill Phantasm rather than capture her. Phantasm decided to reciprocate. Citizen X was so concerned with evading Phantasm's scythe glove he never saw her set up the kick to his head that distracted him to the point she beat him senseless with the scythe's base.

Why she was leaving him alive was beyond her fathoming. Her mask modulated male voice asked Mayflower, "Are we done here?"

"Just go," a despondent Mayflower urged, "I'll cover for you here."

Phantasm knew she didn't have time to inquire as to the why of it.

* * *

Silver Swan didn't want to use her Swan Song against Black Condor, since it could liquefy metal and flesh. And Black Condor was trying to be gentlemanly about opposing her.

He was attempting to persuade her without using force. Which in the world of supernaturally empowered beings was rather rare. Every day was a brand new opportunity to take a beating. Even Princess Diana had kicked the crud out of Valerie Beaudry while she was Silver Swan.

So when a clubbarang struck Black Condor's temple and knocked him out of the sky, Silver Swan alighted next to Captain Boomerang. She was too incensed to form sentences, "You…! You…! You…!"

"Ya gotta have that looked into, sheila," Captain Boomerang's punch finished off Black Condor and Silver Swan gasped.

"The Colonel God Himself wants us to report to the extraction point. So get off yer arse and hurry up," Captain Boomerang stalked off.

"Fine! I'll come with," Silver Swan grated. She cast one last forlorn glance back at Black Condor.

* * *

Enchantress couldn't harm Miss America but Uncle Sam was a personified spirit, so her magic worked to its full effect against him. King Shark arrived to remove Miss America from Enchantress' periphery. Which she was grateful for because she could stop running interference and literally turn Uncle Sam inside out.

"Yum," King Shark smacked his lips.

"Don't do it!" Enchantress commanded. Flames erupted all around King Shark. She couldn't harm him directly but the heat could dehydrate him.

"Whatever," King Shark punched Miss America until she was unconscious.

The flames died away, "Come on, Fish Sticks. Let's get out of here."

* * *

Killer Croc was putting up a good fight but he was overwhelmed by Silent Majority's duplicates alone. Major Victory and Lady Liberty simply kept him from escaping until El Diablo blazed in and dealt with the duplicates.

The man himself did a stop, drop, and drill like something out of a Saturday Morning Special. Croc manhandled Major Victory while Lady Liberty fled.

Major Victory succumbed and Killer Croc gloated, "Real brave, ain't they?"

"Colonel Flagg is ready to evacuate," El Diablo informed Croc.

"`Bout damn time," Killer Croc grumbled.

* * *

Afterthought knew from seeing the future that his only hope lay in reducing the number of his opponents. The easiest way to do so was to push NoMan into overloading the centers of his brain that gave him super powers. The THUNDER Agents didn't have a meta-human amongst them. But cranial implants accessed the power of the mind and granted them a facsimile of gen factors.

Zoom came in and distracted the Ray while Afterthought increasingly frustrated NoMan by being ahead of every move the THUNDER Agent made. Finally, NoMan underwent a series of increasingly violent seizures which resulted in the rapid aging and obliteration of NoMan's conscious mind.

Ray understandably freaked out. Zoom launched himself into the air and began battling Ray at time shifted super speed. The difference between temporal shifting and actual acceleration meant nothing to Ray since he was on the receiving end of Zoom's fists.

"I see you were injured," Afterthought noted the bandages.

"Best thing about accelerating myself through time is I can heal in minutes what should take weeks or months," Zoom shared, "The Colonel wants us to gather for our extraction."

"I knew you were going to say that," Afterthought smirked.

* * *

Punch and Jewelee didn't know if their power gens had a limit, but it seemed that the THUNDER Agents were nearing theirs. The strain was nearly unbearable for Lightning and Dynamo. Then Light stepped into the situation.

Barely able to contend with two foes, facing a third broke Lightning and Dynamo's minds and they effectively died as a result of using their implant driven powers. They underwent the same death throes NoMan had as well.

Punch snickered."That was gross but kinda funny too," he explained.

"You have the sickest sense of humor," Jewelee complained.

"Thank you," Punch grinned.

"It wasn't a compliment, turd brain," Light advised him.

"Why is Alpha team hanging with Bravo team?" Jewelee wondered.

"Flagg is pulling us all out. Right now," Light grated.

"Sounds good," even Punch had to admit.

* * *

Psi ramped up her psychic attacks against Menthor as she felt him weakening. He'd started strong, even stronger than she was, but was rapidly deteriorating physically and mentally. He started convulsing and frothed until he died. Psi had no idea as to why but it frightened her.

Using her telepathic sense of the Suicide Squad she felt them gathering around Flagg. She also detected movement within Fort Siegel as forces began to prepare for a counterattack, so she decided to throw in with Flagg.

* * *

Magno held Shrapnel as a prisoner, so Firehawk encapsulated him in a plastic prison. Then she aided Black Spider in reconstructing Shrapnel. After he reassembled himself, he looked as abashed as Shrapnel could manage.

"Watta revoltin' development," he grimaced.

"Tell us back at Belle Reve," Black Spider offered.

* * *

Jester and Libertine plotted and schemed against one another with acrobatic acerbity. Firebrand miserably watched as Puzzler approached her, "Hello, Danette."

"This is idiotic. Someone is going to die," Firebrand complained.

"Unless you end it," Puzzler remarked, "You know how."

"I suppose this is what Gen. Lane wants," Firebrand realized.

"He can learn to live with disappointment," Puzzler urged.

She created a ring of flame around Libertine. Jester waved at her, "Thank you, fair lady."

"Just go," Firebrand instructed and wondered what she'd just gotten into as Lane's reinforcements deployed.

* * *

"Get everyone mobilized!" Lane thundered, "I want the Suicide Squad to die!"

Backlash led Crimson and Ditto in command of the Meta-Human Response Division's charge against the incursion. Reactron and Cyclotron eagerly joined in. Agent Liberty saw Guardian agonizing over his choices.

"Go! Help Maj. Lane," Agent Liberty stated as Yankee Girl, Minute-Man, and the Bulleteer emerged from the stockade. That left her at Unknown Soldier's mercy…with only the Fighting American between the soldier and his prey.

Unknown Soldier arrived to execute Lucy. But the Fighting American was hidden in an empty cell, so he interceded.

Fighting American and Unknown Soldier were at a standstill until Guardian hit Unknown Soldier over the head with his shield. Fighting American took charge, "Check on Maj. Lane while I lock this one away."

He handcuffed Unknown Soldier with tritanium cuffs and locked him in a cell. Fighting American stepped away, "Is she okay?"

"Thanks to you," Lucy assured him, "Now I need my suit. My father will keep ordering my execution."

"Then we need to get you off base," Fighting American surmised, "Speedboy and Freedom can assist us once we are away from Fort Siegel."

Everyone had forgotten about Fighting American's sidekicks. Guardian returned to the topic at hand, "Your Superwoman suit is in the secure lockers. I'll be right back with it."

"Your father reminds me of Sen. Joe McCarthy," Fighting American admitted, "I swore to never again serve under a man like that."

Guardian returned and blushed, "Here you go, Lucy. I mean…Maj. Lane."

"Lucy is fine," she smiled at him, "Now if you'll excuse me."

Seeing her hold up her costume as though she had donned it already, the fellows took their cue and waited outside the cell block while she changed. Garbed as the second Superwoman, Lucy rejoined her comrades, "I can fly but that leaves you two stuck on the ground."

"The motor pool left several HMVs parked near the stockade. I suggest you refrain from flying since it'll only draw attention your way," Fighting American pointed out, "We can make much better time with the Humvee and we can steal the spare gas cans off of the other parked vehicle while we sabotage it."

"You've done this before," Superwoman was impressed.

"Like I said, I knew McCarthy," Fighting American shared.

"Then let's make a break for it while everyone is still distracted by the Suicide Squad," Guardian suggested.

They easily stole the Humvee after stripping gas cans off of its companion and blowing the self inflating tires apart. As the closest, Agent Liberty, Bulleteer, Yankee Girl, and Minute-Man were called to stop them. But they suddenly encountered "technical difficulties".

"My weapons seemed jammed," Agent Liberty complained, "And my jetpack won't function."

"Same with my...whatever," Bulleteer added.

"Even I can't fly," Yankee Girl added.

Then they prevented Minute-Man from pursuing the fleeing Humvee.

Minute-Man called in to Ops to report the sedition. Oracle intercepted the call, _"Good for them…I mean, too bad. Better luck next time."_

Minute-Man snarled the vilest curses he could call down upon his fellow teammates.

"I think we've upset him," Agent Liberty deadpanned.

"We should get him a cup of coffee from the commissary. Say, in about twenty minutes," Yankee Girl proposed.

"They do have the best coffee bar," Bulleteer admitted, "I suppose it's a perk of not existing."

"While we're waiting, I'll buy you both cups," Agent Liberty offered.

"What the hell?" Bulleteer replied, "It's not like Lane will get any angrier."

Yankee Girl profoundly doubted that. But she wanted the coffee.

* * *

"Now!" Flagg instructed Enchantress, who was weaving her spell.

"June tells me even you have trouble getting it up under pressure," Enchantress snarked back.

"I can lead everyone through the Land of Nightshades," Nightshade offered.

There was a universal shudder at the proposal. Flagg kept it as an option, "Maybe in a second."

"I volunteer to run back to base," Zoom stated.

"You don't know where Belle Reve is located," Phantasm shot down the idea.

"It's in a swamp. How many can there be?" Zoom retorted.

" _Now_ I'm ready!" Enchantress cast her teleportation spell and cast everyone back to prison. They found themselves in the exercise yard with guards responding to rising alarms.

Gibbons, the tactical team leader told Flagg, "Director Cormaugh wants to talk to you awfully badly."

"Everyone take ten," Flagg encouraged them. "Alert the mess hall to expect visitors. Katana, Nightshade, you're both on me," Flagg instructed, "It's time to have a word with Gwen."

* * *

Overman actually found the empowered Magnificus Sivana challenging. But the doltish thug was a prototypical bully. He was muscle, bravado and little brain and even less courage. And like all bullies, he retreated when faced with personal injury.

Thaddeus Sivana Jr. was exceptionally disciplined in body and mind. But even Thad's mental prowess failed to compensate for the Martian's repeated attacks. He couldn't prevent the Nazi Martian from raping his mind, so he fled right behind his half-brother, Magnificus.

Brunhilde led the counterattack against Satana's animal men hybrids. Leatherwing followed her example and they slaughtered dozens of animal vessels with human minds wholesale. Satana herself had retreated atop the parking garage attached to the now-Hall of National Socialism.

There Blitzen found her and threw her off the rooftop. Satana reflexively tried to brake her fall with her left arm and it shattered like glass. Suffering other serious injuries, Satana literally dragged herself to relative safety and teleported back to the Tran Noble building in Bludhaven.

"Congratulations, you've demonstrated the worthiness of your Slavic blood. I always considered you our weakest link but today you have proven me wrong," Leatherwing congratulated her.

Blitzen's genetic crime extended further than being Ukrainian by birth. Her great-grandmother had been Jewish, but her Soviet father had doctored the birth certificates and forged ancestral trees to hide the fact his daughter had "inhuman" blood. Even the Martian was unaware of her family secret.

Blitzen had pledged to avenge her lineage.

* * *

Devil Ray had faced down Aquaman on numerous occasions. Devil Ray had always been the more ruthless of the two, but Underwaterman made Devil Ray out to be a pacifist.

Eventually, Devil Ray retreated into the depths of the East River and boarded his submerged submarine, the _Nemo_. Underwaterman didn't crave immersing himself in the foul waters. Overman spared him that indignity.

Georgia Sivana overpowered Overgirl, but Overman interceded on his daughter's behalf along with Leatherwing, Brunhilde, Martian, Blitzen, and Underwaterman. Georgia fled as far and as fast as she could. Now the New Reichsmen settled in to witness the end of the Fourth Reich's conflicts.

Captain Nazi was a better fighter than Black Sivana and more adept at inflicting pain. But he eventually boiled the conflict down to super speed blows to Black Sivana's jaw. Black Sivana experienced excruciating pain as one of his tusks snapped away and followed the familiar flight path carved out by his children.

Captain Nazi's hands began to shake and he clenched them. A prospective _Fuhrer_ couldn't show weakness.

Psycho Pirate's expression of horror was genuine. Baron Blitzkrieg had inexorably marched to him and wrapped both his hands around the pirate's throat. Psycho Pirate desperately pulled a revolver out of a pocket in his cape and shot Baron Blitzkrieg in the side. Then he fled on foot. Baron Blitzkrieg used an SS dagger to cut the bullet out.

"I'm impressed, _Herr Baron_. I honestly doubted you still had it in you," Captain Nazi said from behind him.

"Never doubt my family, _Herr Kapitan_ ," Baron Blitzkrieg warned him.

* * *

Fright fled before the Hun and Baroness Blood's naked aggression, even though it was aimed at each other. They were each determined to kill someone, preferably each other. Dr. Demon formulated an antidote to the fear toxin and dosed all of them; The Hun and the Baroness were dosed while they were locked in a struggle to choke each other out.

Afterwards, neither would apologize or admit any wrongdoing. Dr. Demon felt it was like dealing with adolescents all over again.

Madame Libertine was sweating profusely as her meta-human gen factor worked through Prof. Poison's injected toxins. She was visibly shaking but she clearly intended to kill Prof. Poison. He preferred toxicology because one could avoid actual physical confrontations, so he withdrew from the fight.

Captain Murder was killing Bizarro Girl. An impressive feat since Bizarro Girl was a highly modified corpse to begin with. But Madame Libertine requested Captain Murder's aid. She'd never cared for anyone before but Madame Libertine was an idealized version of the sister Captain Murder had killed as a teenager, so she helped out.

Baron Gestapo blew Brain's housing to bits and the brain itself was splattered across the pavement. Mallah lost all semblance of civilization so Baron Gestapo defended himself and killed the gorilla along with his disembodied lover. Baron Gestapo felt no pity as he had warned them.

Count Vertigo was so startled that Baroness Blitzkrieg was of a mixed heritage, he deactivated his vertigo inducer. Baroness Blitzkrieg held out a hand to retrieve her mask, "My mask, please."

"Why hide yourself?" Count Vertigo wondered.

"These idiots believe only blonde hair and blue eyes bespeak of perfection. Neither of which applied to Hitler, of course," Baroness Blitzkrieg said dryly, "If they were to learn I'm part Portuguese and Mayan Indian as well as German, they'd probably kill me."

"I'll never tell anyone," Count Vertigo pledged.

"Which is why I'm letting you go. I'll make the appropriate excuses," Baroness Blitzkrieg offered, "Please, just go."

As he did so, she wondered if the Baron would consider a count worthy of a baroness when that same baroness was his great-granddaughter.

* * *

Satan Girl fought Shaggy Man to a standstill. Something even Superman had failed to do. She couldn't hold out indefinitely but she could resists for days.

"Call off your monster," Per Degaton ordered Prof. Ivo.

"Or?" Ivo was amused.

Gun pods emerged from the walls, "Or I simply kill you and reveal to Satan Girl she merely needs to remove the creature's hair in order to weaken it to the point she can terminate its artificial life."

"Do it, Ivo," Signalman requested.

Ivo called the Shaggy Man off and Satan Girl hated that she looked relieved.

"You may all go now," Degaton allowed.

They wondered why they were allowed to leave without further incident as they passed the reassembled New Reichsmen on one side of the steps and the Fourth Reich on the other. Only Madame Libertine looked stricken despite Baron Blitzkrieg's obvious gunshot wound.

Luthor took their report and pledged to come back with greater numbers. Which was Degaton's intent all along.

* * *

Alarms resounded through the swamp as Catwoman returned to the Cat Mobile. An explosion of smoke blanketed the trail before her and Kitrina Falcone and Phantasm emerged from it. Bruce hadn't been joking about his former fiancé's stealth abilities.

"I never thought I'd say it but Bruce was right about you," Selina Kyle shared.

"I imagine his conversations with you were intimate as well," Andrea Beaumont remarked.

"Plus the whole, 'do it my way or get lost', shtick," Catwoman shared.

"Principally," Phantasm agreed.

"Seems the man has one mode with women," Catwoman suggested.

"Push them away," Phantasm conceded, "For our own safety, of course."

"And don't forget his high and mighty morality playbook," Catwoman stated.

"That too," Phantasm stepped out of the Cat Mobile's way, "It'll take them time to find your zip line from the roof. I'll just tell them you were gone before I arrived."

"Thanks. But I don't understand," Catwoman admitted.

"Then there's hope for all of us," Phantasm motioned them on their way. Afterwards she mentally began prepping her report to Gwen and Flagg.


	8. Chapter 8

21

Max Lord had used the resources of both his Innovative Concepts Foundation and the United Nations bureaucracy to secure the release of the ill fated "Justice League Task Force", "You failed to subdue the Justice League Unlimited in a straightforward conflict. You won't be making that mistake again. You'll come at them sideways next time."

Max shifted gears, "In the interim, I've convinced my Russian partners to incorporate two of their better teams into this venture."

"Which teams?" Threshold still believed he was the natural leader. Ivana Baiul was relying on him to report the Task Force's movements. Bliss was her insurance that he would.

"The Russians are granting us use of Soyuz and the Red Shadows as well as two independent operators. Or at least as independent as they come from Russia."

"No Russian government gives anything away," High protested, "What's the actual cost?"

"Their goal is the eradication of any and all super teams except those serving Russian interests…or mine," Max informed them, "Which coincides with a major portion of your own stated goals."

"Who do we start with?" Blind was eager for action.

"You've already paid a visit to Antarctica. I think it's time you returned and cleaned house," Max smiled beneficently.

* * *

Per Degaton held his press conference just as announced. Midmorning had arrived in Brooklyn. Newscopters and boats hovered nearby. Reporters thronged the public access areas not cordoned off or protected by either the New Reichsmen or the Fourth Reich. They'd arrived hours ago to stake their places in the herd and get footage for "local color".

Degaton watched as his soldiers funneled the crowd towards him. He was staged perfectly centered between the pillars framing the steps leading to the Hall of National Socialism's doors. But he stood level with the crowd forcing them closer and in a semicircle around him in order to gauge his own reaction to his own remarks. Satan Girl stood behind him and to his right. Near enough to respond to any threat on Degaton's life.

Overman matched her position on his left. The crowd gasped as they saw that Overman, like Ultraman before him, was a dead ringer for Superman. Except with all of the negative press coming out of the World Court and the UN, some even wondered if Overman really was Superman.

The reappearance and new allegiance of doppelgangers for Aquaman and J'onn Jonzz also sent many pens and voice recorders wagging. Overgirl, Brunhilde, Blitzen, and Leatherwing were mysteries. Unlike the Fourth Reich who were infamous in their own right.

"Greetings," Degaton wore his black uniform emblazoned with a red "D" with an additional earpiece mike tapped into the building's public address system. He forswore notes and preferred speaking from memory, "I have summoned you all here to announce my bid for world leadership. I could easily order my faithful followers to conquer this beleaguered planet but I prefer willing subjects, harnessed together for a common cause and a greater good. And before you dismiss my proposal out of hand, consider the world around you and ask yourself, do you prefer things this way?"

Degaton expertly paused to allow his words to register, "The people of this world deserve a strong hand of leadership after centuries of weak willed failures. You deserve a capable leader worthy of your adoration and devotion. Vandal Savage attempted to carve out such a slate but he relied upon excessive force and violence."

Another poignant pause followed before Degaton spoke again, "I ask for a world referendum where _every_ citizen of every nation is enfranchised and their voice carries equal weight with any other voter's. I ask you to throw off the shackles of the mindset Lex Luthor has placed upon this world's citizens. I will deal with Luthor and my forces will deal with Luthor's Legion of Doom. Their ire will fall exclusively upon us. And I will end his threat forever and throw him down as the false messiah he truly is."

Degaton's piercing gaze lanced out into the crowd, "There was a man named Adolph Hitler that perverted fascism with racial imperatives. Fascism was an economic system before it became a political novelty. I will preserve the rights of private ownership and property while controlling the economy that governs businesses with prudent and necessary regulations to protect people first and the environment second. The goal is to protect every person and not just profiteers."

"Can the industrialist named Luthor say the same?" Degaton asked sharply, "Can he state clearly and unequivocally that he wishes to preserve human life and dignity over the cost of his own?"

"That is my dream," Degaton began to conclude his remarks, "You, the people, can make it a reality. Confront your spineless leadership and demand they hold a referendum and witness how they will intimidate and threaten you to keep National Socialism from becoming the law of the land across this globe."

"I await the officials' reply from the United Nations and their lackeys as well as the great powers that dare presume they rule this world," Degaton added, "And more importantly, I await the will of the people to be clearly expressed."

Degaton turned and strode into the Hall of former Justice while questions were shouted at his back. Satan Girl and Overman kept the crowd form surging forward in pursuit while the New Reichsmen and Fourth Reich held the flanks.

Degaton smiled victoriously to himself. Now he had their attention. The rest would be easy, if history were any judge.

* * *

After Degaton's press conference ended, Luthor's proxy on the Mercy Corp board called an emergency meeting to replace Mercy Graves as CEO. His vitriolic attack revolved around the loss of clientele regarding Mercy's assumption of the corporation's top slot. And in the spiraling loss of confidence in the corporation in the consumer opinion polls.

"Mercy, we're losing clients just because your name is on the corporate stationary. Whatever magic you brought to LexCorp has died and faded away. No one knows what this company is about, what are projected future is, and our motivation," Lionel Standish complained.

"I've brought in as many clients as we've lost," Mercy defended her record.

"We shouldn't have lost any to begin with. Writing back alley deals in the margins of our ledgers doesn't count the same as keeping satisfied clients and taking on new ones in addition to them," Lionel warned, "I propose a vote of no confidence hereby stripping Ms. Graves of her position as head of this multinational."

The vote was unanimous. Mercy wasn't impressed, "You've practiced this."

Lionel ignored her, "Bring Ms. Luthor in."

Mercy was astounded to see Lena walking. Lionel spoke on her behalf, "Ms. Luthor is my nominee for the chief executive of this company. Furthermore, she wishes to return the company name to her family. Rather than call it LexCorp in a regressive measure, it would march further on as LuthorCorp and bring back our lost clientele to our fold once again."

The Board debated. Lena was voted in on the yardstick that she was, after all, a Luthor. And that they'd taken a chance with Mercy so it was an equitable tradeoff. One that favored Lena.

"Gentlemen, I accept your offer," Lena smiled at them confidently but not arrogantly, "May I speak with Ms. Graves privately?"

The board left and Lena was left alone with Mercy. Mercy was less than impressed, "When did you become Lex's lapdog? When he restored your ability to walk again?"

"I'm truly sorry this had to happen but I need to restore full confidence in the company and I think I'm best suited to do that," Lena tried to explain.

"You can do it without me," Mercy said, "Or did you notice I was fired and not transferred?"

"Here's your transfer paperwork," Lena handed Mercy a manila folder filled with files.

"Is this a bone?" Mercy asked.

"I prefer not to waste invaluable resources," Lena promised her, "And I think you're the most qualified candidate to head up Team Luthor and the revived Everyman Project. And I think you're invested in this corporation. You renamed it after yourself as a declaration not as an ego boost."

"Lex took LexCorp to the brink and I barely have begun resuscitating the corpse," Mercy admitted.

"And with your help, I'll finish that task," Lena promised, "And Team Luthor will provide a model for private police contracting like the world has never seen before. I envision it as our largest product brand someday. And I'm relying on you to make it a reality."

"It won't be easy or cheap," Mercy warned.

"I'll keep it funded for as long as I can," Lena vowed, "But we can't go forward until we have a quality product worthy of purchase."

"And the Everyman Project would break the governments' lock on harnessing gen factors," Mercy approved.

"Look at all Trajectory accomplished," Lena pointed out, "I want her to be the team and project's role model."

"I can make that happen," Mercy realized, "I'm actually grateful to be demoted but the method sucked."

"Welcome to corporate politics," Lena shrugged, "I grew up in this environment thanks to my father, Lionel Luthor.

"I understand you were your father's mistress' daughter," Mercy brought up the impolitic fact.

"And my stepmother never forgave me," Lena chuckled ruefully, "And Lex never forgave me because while he's infinitely smarter than I am, I'm better at business. I will revive this company and LuthorCorp will be the envy of the world once again. I swear it to you."

And Mercy had to admit she believed it, "So when do I start in my new role?"

"As soon as you change offices," Lena answered, "Your new location is listed in the files I gave you as well as the bulk of your scientific and strategic teams. I'll be making a company-wide address here in fifteen minutes to boost the troops' morale. Thanks to Mr. Degaton, I'll wait until tomorrow to make a public statement. There can only be one major headline after all."

And Mercy could already see Lena was the superior businesswoman. Much more adept than Lex had been as a corporate leader and infinitely better than Mercy herself. She knew then it was the right time for Mercy Corp to die and LuthorCorp to rise from its ashes.

* * *

The Justice League Unlimited watched the press conference in horror. But the truly horrifying aspects were yet to come. Worldwide polling of urban centers showed wide acceptance of Degaton's proposal for a world encompassing vote and were quite happy to hear him out further. Of the remainder, a percentage outright rejected him, such as the state of Israel while other took a wait and see approach willing to allow Degaton to prove his falsehood. But all were intrigued by the sheer spectacle.

In the United States, Degaton made an excellent first impression. Nearly three-quarters of Americans eagerly awaited further revelations and dialogue. And the use of the Hall of Justice revamped as a Hall of National Socialism lent credence to his cause. The international body seemingly refused to ouster him or even debunk the assumption he'd earned privilege with them. And with privileges came an air of legitimacy.

Having sold Luthor to the masses, Degaton was just the next would-be dictator to unofficially be endorsed by the UN. And with Degaton playing for global stakes, the veneer of regional politics didn't even equate. Instead, the UN delegates fell all over themselves clearing a path and a means for a truly international and all inclusive vote. Even children above the age of twelve would be given a voice.

Overman's presence and apparent worship of Degaton's ideology led most to believe Superman, now considered a criminal, had fallen in with Degaton and his brand of National Socialism. Which just bespoke of their own doubts regarding Superman's own egalitarianism. It seemed the majority of the public secretly harbored suspicions that Superman saw himself above mankind. So therefore Superman would be a natural recruit for modern Nazis.

"Who is 'Per Degaton'? Steve Trevor asked, "And who is the horned red head next to him?"

"Bekka would know," Barda scowled, "Her father was a captive to Degaton on Earth-9. She left when Himon was freed. Scott and I brought Maxima there where Kalea-El eventually found us."

"Degaton was the Nazi ruler of Earth-9?" Shayera Hol sought clarification.

"The Nazis ruled every continent except North America and its collapse was imminent," Barda told them, "But Bekka spent much more time there. Or even Himon."

"Bekka is a Fear Lantern," John Stewart accused.

"And you're a Green Lantern. Is there a point?" Barda was defensive on Bekka's behalf.

"We don't need to quarrel. Things are tough enough already," Hula Hula insisted.

"We've a transmission comin' in from K-Star," Penny alerted the others.

A monitor displayed especially grim figures of the Flash, Sentinel, and Wildcat. Superman broke the silence, "We're receiving you. What's the matter?"

" _We need to talk to your leadership,"_ Sentinel explained, _"We're sending teleport coordinates to a neutral site. We're already there."_

The transmission ended.

"Hula, you're with me," Trevor decided, "Shayera, you, John, and Superman represent the Founders in this. Select any lieutenants you feel are needed. Penny and Zinda, you're in charge until we return."

"I don't believe we require support," Shayera spoke for the Founders.

"I believe I should come along," Anna Fortune spoke up.

"Why?" Superman challenged her.

"Call it an educated guess," Anna shrugged.

"Not my call," Trevor admitted.

"Join the party," John allowed.

* * *

They met in the subterranean portion beneath the JSA Brownstone. The former JSA Headquarters had been sealed off while the residential rooms above stood empty. But the Justice Society Museum occupied the ground floor. Roxy had control over every floor and every device within the Brownstone public and private arenas.

Roxy's holographic avatar appeared before the teleporter pads, "I guarantee I'll know if anyone approaches during this little confab. But unwanted guests will have to penetrate the sublevels before I can react."

"We want to discuss Per Degaton," Flash announced.

"You know him?" Superman was startled.

"We knew _a_ Degaton. He first appeared in 1947 as a time traveler that interfered in World War II. We leaked word to our counterparts in those years and they defeated Degaton. He reappeared in 1950 to wreak havoc in American politics. Afterwards he vanished to only reappear again briefly in 1952 to kidnap the scientists that developed his time machine and return to Hitler's Bunker in 1945. That time we contacted the Freedom Fighters who were in Berlin at the time and Degaton was never heard from again. We never knew why but we had our guesses," Sentinel explained.

"An' we never looked inta it," Wildcat added, "It ain't our proudest moment."

"Barda contends that Degaton is from another Earth," Trevor stated.

"Which seems confirmed by his implication that he conquered a Earth before," Shayera added.

"Tell them," Dr. Fate emerged from the shadows of a darkened room beside Hawkman.

"Or I will," Hawkman threatened.

"The Multiverse is no more," Anna finally shared, "Every universe has been wiped clean by a wave of antimatter stemming from the Antimatter Universe subsequently leaving but one matter universe and one antimatter parallel. Both are complete within themselves."

"But New Genesis and Apokolips still exist," Superman contended.

"The Fourth World and other pocket universes such as the Time Trapper's and Angor's still persist but they've always dwelt beyond the time-space continuum," Anna explained.

"So Degaton is a refugee," John surmised.

"And there are a score of others from the assembled fifty-two universes," Anna shared, "They each escaped destruction through various means. But the Prime Universe is hardly a refuge. Now, it too faces obliteration and with it the Antimatter Universe."

Superman studied Anna's inflection. There wasn't one. It was just one flat, academic delivery, "You've known about this for some time."

"The Lords of Order chose to keep the secret to avoid greater panic before the universe is destroyed," Anna showed real anger now.

"There has to be a way to fight this," Hula Hula argued.

"It isn't a natural phenomenon. The antimatter cascades are directed by a being calling himself the Anti Monitor. As the name suggests, he has a counterpart in this universe called the Monitor. He knows far more than he shares with anyone," Dr. Fate described.

"So when do we take the fight ta dis poozer?" Wildcat asked.

"When we finish with Degaton," Superman urged, "Then we begin to concentrate on this 'Anti Monitor' and his genocidal activities."

* * *

Gen. Jack Latham received word from President Olivia McKay that Degaton was now the MLJ's largest concern, "Director Latham, I'm ordering you to pit your not-insignificant agency resources to determining the nature of the threat Per Degaton poses to this nation and the world. We need to know what his true agenda is."

"If I may, Madame President, I'd like to keep one small team on task with assisting the Justice League clear their names. Along with that I'd like a secondary team determining who brought the 'Extremists' to our world," Latham requested.

"The information you previously released to me indicated the one called Dreamslayer did that," McKay frowned.

"But the Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay reported to the Justice League the doorway between Angor and Earth had been closed after they came over," Latham informed her, "That was as much for their protection as ours. So how did Dreamslayer find our universe?"

"And your surmising is that an external person or force delivered him and his robots to our beleaguered planet," McKay understood, "Or you could apply Occam's razor to the problem and simply say Dreamslayer got lucky."

"Ma'am, both the JLU and Justice Society are reporting Degaton and his unknown henchmen are from parallel worlds," Latham chose to reveal, "And if they crossed, why couldn't the Extremist cross with them? The timing seems far too coincidental."

"You're in contact with the Justice League?" McKay asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," Latham confirmed it.

"And you have their current whereabouts?" McKay pressed him further.

"Again, yes Ma'am," Latham confessed.

"I never heard your last two replies," McKay promised, "But your alternate universe theory implies that _isn't_ Superman standing behind Degaton."

"No, it isn't. It's his doppelganger from another Earth," Latham shared, "And traditionally the other universes' Superman have been less powerful than our own."

"Thankfully there's a ray of hope in all this," McKay grimaced, "General, I need your team to be focused on Degaton. But I also need the Justice League exonerated."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Latham was grateful indeed.

"I can't allow Luthor and Amanda Waller to push their alien agendas through, for obvious reasons," McKay told him.

Latham was one of six people that knew "Olivia McKay" had been born Yrra Daggle from the planet Durla. The Durlan civil war had brought both factions and a score of refugees to Earth Prime. And McKay was well aware that Sam Lane was the leading voice in anti-alien activity in the United States while McKay was pushing an alien immigration amnesty bill through Congress. Her life was potentially in danger from one of her own generals.

"My people won't let you get deported," Latham pledged. Although deportation was just the beginning and best case scenario if Yrra was found out. She hadn't even been born on Earth much less in the United States and had shredded the Constitution to get elected President. Hard liners like Lane would want her executed as a traitor to ward off other attempts at non-humans being elected to a federal post.

But the Secretaries of Defense, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, along with Latham and the White House Chief of Staff knew the secret and were all pledged with keeping it intact. Yrra had credibility with alien governments that no human president could achieve. And her high office indicated a degree of civilization that alien leaders typically felt humans lacked.

Latham was the one appointed to maintaining and defending McKay's hidden truth. And the Web Agency had just absorbed the mandate of protection regarding it. Despite their not being confided with what the secret actually entailed.

Latham had selected a prospective Deputy Director to run the Web Agency. Now they just had to clear the Congressional confirmation process. Which could drag on for months. Latham knew any sane person would cut and run rather than subject themselves to it. Hopefully he'd gauged his candidate correctly and they had the fortitude for the job.

* * *

Luthor gathered his tactical chieftains and received their reports regarding the Justice League Antarctica as well as Degaton's forces. The Legion of Doom's brain trust applied themselves to solving the potential dilemmas posed by both. Meanwhile, Luthor had a private conference with Blackstarr.

The Neo-Nazi leader had tapped every contact within the global factions equally within the movement. And she had invaluable information to share with him. Afterwards he addressed his tactical teams again to prepare them to deal with Degaton should the Justice League fail to do so in a reasonable amount of time. And to deal with the JLU should they succeed in stopping Degaton's ambition.

* * *

Dr. Zadar made his report to Brain Emperor, "So the Sickle woman belonged to a Russian operation known as the People's Heroes and to a new entity created by Maxwell Lord to be called the Justice League Antarctica."

"So Lord fashioned his own Justice League even as Luthor crafted his Justice League Task Force," Brain Emperor chuckled, "The Global Concern is now interested in both. Put Domino on it. She travels in those rarified circles."

Dr. Zadar wondered if he spoke of Ariel Pryde's elitist billionaire crowd or Domino's criminal elite.

"Both actually," Brain Emperor had casually read his mind.

* * *

The remaining Fourth Reich members returned from a mission and reported in to the Hall of National Socialism. They were Master Race, Crossbow, Firebug, Laughing Skull, Faye Morgana, Red Death, Volkssturm, and the Ace of Blades. Master Race had recovered the others from cryo-stasis tubes from across Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria including one long forgotten tube in the Netherlands.

Crossbow, Firebug, and Ace of Blades had been top Nazi operatives. Laughing Skull and Red Death were diabolical terrors that were still used as bogey men across Europe. But Volkssturm and Faye Morgana were easily the deadliest. Faye was a telekinetic sorceress that had hired on with the Nazis and had been hunted by the Allies as a result.

Scarlet Skull led the Neo-Nazis that wished to pledge themselves to Degaton. Sinhart and Condor were his frequent collaborators. Brick Bat, Porcupine, Panther, and Death Mask were all modern National Socialists. Red Knight, Rubberman, and Vicenhammer were actual Germans descended from prominent Nazi families and still held true to Hitler's cause.

The last wave of volunteers had been Emperor Hirohito's Rising Sun Brigade. Hachiman wielded an enchanted _katana_ and axe. Captain Nippon had been engineered to be Japan's answer to Captain Nazi. And Iron Fist had plunged his hand into molten metal to pull it out and have it cool into a metal fist.

Hachiman and Iron Fist wore the garb of the samurai they purported to be. Captain Nippon wore an imperial army uniform. They had all maintained silence after their resurrection in modern Japan but now they had struck forth to negotiate Japan's place in Degaton's new world order. A place where they would once again serve the emperor himself and a new imperial Japan's interest.

* * *

"This cannot be allowed to happen again!" Col. Rick Flagg lividly dressed down Belle Reeve's Chief of Security, "We're deemed a 'black site' for a reason. We can't let the world, or even ourselves, know we exist."

"Chief DeMarco, you're dismissed," Gwen Cormaugh, the Task Force X Director, intervened before she addressed Flagg, "Selina Kyle's credentials were flawless. That poor woman you just ripped a new one had no reason to suspect her."

"She's Catwoman. She breaks into impossible places just for fun," Flagg hated the stark truth of it.

"It was more than a joyride," Gwen warned him, "She stole the E Dial."

"God, can this day continue to get any worse?" Flagg groaned.

"No," Katana said from her corner.

"Thanks for that," Flagg ruefully remarked.

"It's not a determination merely an assessment," Katana advised him, "Our intelligence regarding Fort Siegel was sorely lacking and our planning was shoddy."

"And I'm trying to reach King Faraday regarding the intelligence briefs," Nightshade interjected, "I want to know if they were accidently slipshod or intentionally."

"And our personnel issue is domestic," Flagg glowered.

"Hack and Gordon Jr. actually saved the day. Otherwise Kyle would have escaped unnoticed," Gwen shared, "But the fact that Phantasm knew where to find Catwoman and got there just late enough to her drive off strikes me as…odd."

"Our whole day as been FUBAR from the beginning," Flagg warned Gwen, "We were led into a trap of Waller's making."

"I hate to, but I have to agree," Gwen conceded, "I have Karin Grace running down assessments of the field action. I want you to report to her and give her your assessments of what went down."

"You know how she'll react to my presence," Flagg grimaced.

"Tell her I ordered her to put the past behind her," Gwen grated, "And I'm still in charge until we hear otherwise."

Flagg looked ot Katana and Nightshade to get some moral support. He found it sorely lacking.

* * *

Selina and Kitrina Falcone were to meet with Intergang's Queenie Hart. A crime boss Selina was familiar with. The goal was to sell the E Dial for the agreed upon sum.

"Is this dive it?" Kitrina wrinkled her nose.

"Hardly what you'd expect from Intergang," Selina scrutinized the dilapidated bar, "Maybe you should go back outside and wait."

"No effin' way. If trouble starts you'll need me," Kitrina argued.

"If management says 'go' then you go. Agreed?" Selina clarified.

"Hey, you know me. Always happy to comply," Kitrina grinned.

"That'll be a frosty day in Hell," Selina rolled her eyes as they entered the premises.

A bouncer moved to them, "No kids."

Kitrina stood her ground and Selina sighed, "The guest management is expecting us. Why not mosey on and tell Queenie we're here?"

"Watch the mouth, Toots. Or you'll lose them expensive porcelain capped teeth," the bouncer said tersely.

"And I thought only sinks and toilets were still made of porcelain," Selina goaded him.

Then came the inevitable punch which Selina ducked under. She delivered a knee to his jaw as he overcorrected his swing. He went flying into a nearby table.

"Always a dinner and a show with you, Kyle," Queenie said from atop a flight of stairs.

"Your goons are getting overprotective…and twice as stupid," Selina commented, "Aren't you going to invite us up?"

"Come in to my 'borrowed' office," Queenie made the overture.

Inside, she sat Selina and Kitrina down, "Do you have it?"

"No chitchat?" Selina was disappointed in the change of rules.

"The rest of the 100 thinks I'm stupid for volunteering for this meet," Queenie confided, "Ballard said you'd be cooperative. Ballard is too optimistic for his own good."

"Ballard is a tool for the Director. All four of 'him'," Selina sounded bored, "Now, have you met my price?"

Queenie opened the safe and pulled out an overladen velvet tray filled with diamonds, "All one karat and near flawless and nearly perfect color. Now, do _you_ have the dial?"

Selina unstrapped it from her wrist and handed it over as she accepted the tray, "Oh, ye of little faith."

"You don't mind if I test it?" Queenie waited for Selina's answer.

"Feel free and please do," Selina had anticipated such a question.

Queenie summoned the humbled bouncer. He'd be more alert and even more eager to deal with Selina if she'd double crossed Intergang. A room full of helpers stood ready downstairs should he fail a second time.

"You do realize I'll have you killed if you've swindled me," Queenie was nonchalant, "Of course, your bravura won't let you admit defeat so I'll warn you I'll begin with Holly Robinson and her girlfriend and move on to the kitten here before finally reckoning with you."

"Then it's good I kept my end of the bargain," Selina scowled, "Just to be fair, I'll end you if these stones aren't as advertised."

"Fair enough," Queenie handed the bruiser the dial, "Dial 'E-V-I-L' and be quick about it."

The bouncer immediately transformed and called himself "Vibro Shock". Queenie was impressed, "It seems we have a deal, Kyle. Care to sell me Belle Reeve's location?"

"Not a chance," Selina replied as she poured the diamonds into a velvet bag, "Not unless negotiations are opening."

"And Vibro Shock here will probably level the neighborhood before you and the kitten talk," Queenie gathered.

"I have a name, bitch," Kitrina growled.

"And the Falcones are looking for their lost Kitrina," Queenie countered, "Don't tempt me into giving your new address away."

"Roll it and see how it lands on you," Kitrina stood her ground.

"Stay feisty, kid. You'll get far if you do," Queenie applauded her.

Selina had transferred all the diamonds, "Almost a pleasure, Queenie Hart."

"Right back at you, Selina Kyle," Queenie retorted, "You know where the door is. Use it."

Outside, Kitrina asked the next obvious question, "Where are we headed?"

"Now we steal the _other_ dial and sell it to ARGUS. They only knew about the one so it'll be an equitable trade," Selina plotted.

"And how are we going to find the other one?" Kitrina groaned.

"Simple, we'll ask Knightfall," Selina said haphazardly, "She's into mischief making."

"Knightfall is a 'she'?" Kitrina was surprised to learn.

"Hear you nothing that I say?" Selina quoted, "You need to pay attention to my pearls of wisdom. They'll save your life. Feisty will only get you so far."

"Can I at least drive to the airport?" Kitrina wheedled.

"Kitrina, I know you can drive. But I won't let you until you're at least old enough for a learner's permit. It would be incredibly stupid of us to get pinched because you're driving underage.," Selina wearily counseled her protégé.

"Life sucks," Kitrina complained.

"And then you die, I know it all too well," Selina admitted.

* * *

Latham asked the Marvel to join him in his office, "I need you to select a team to locate and recruit two individuals. A partner act, father and daughter."

"General I already agreed to by showing up. I have two individuals in mind, if you don't mind me borrowing the Web," Marvel told him.

"He's on a case," Latham advised him.

"Not _him_. The one with brains," Marvel retorted.

"I'm certain Jane would agree to help," Latham was confident.

"She already has and so has Captain Flag now that I've assured him Yank is coming with us," Marvel announced.

"Are you certain you won't need anyone else?" Latham was a tad irked.

"No, that should do it. I'll tell you who else I need should it prove necessary," Marvel was confident enough.

"Always a pleasure…always a pleasure already," Latham tried not to grumble.

Latham summoned Buster and Big Daddy from Web Headquarters in Arizona, "You can stop training recruits. I have a surveillance mission planned for all the ex-Web Hosts. That is, if you're actually interested in following orders."

Big Daddy blustered for a while but Buster took it smoothly, "Give the word, General."

"Report to Brooklyn to monitor the new uninvited occupants of the Hall of Justice. The President wants details on Degaton and his minions. We need to know who goes in and out of the facility and what they do when they leave," Latham instructed.

"Will we be in on the arrest?" Buster asked.

"What arrest?" Latham played innocent.

"When the Mighty Crusaders and the Justice League inevitably kick the doors down and go in," Buster prophesied.

"You're too smart for your own good, Karen. Which why you're our field leader. If I can persuade President McKay to authorize it, you'll be part of it," Latham pledged, "On the other hand, a group of teenagers broke into a Web Agency depot and stole weaponized hover bikes. They been involved in petty crimes since then. They're calling themselves the Posse."

"The new Mark VII bikes?" Big Daddy was a former biker gang member himself.

"Precisely," Latham confirmed it.

"No one's even cleared to ride those yet," Big Daddy was appreciative, "These kids got guts and a talent to ride."

"Why not recruit them?" Buster asked.

"Excuse me?" Latham was startled by the suggestion.

"Every criminal gang in New York City is going to be trying to recruit them. Why not beat them to it and send the kids in as infiltrators?" Buster wondered.

"But if they are kids…" Latham let the implication hang in the air.

"Better us than Intergang or the Syndicate Underground," Buster replied, "And they'll earn a full pardon for their crime spree and earn a chance to keep the bikes and a piece of our payroll."

"It could work," Latham mulled it over, "I'll contact the Justice Department and get paperwork drawn up."

* * *

The JLU and JSA Founders returned to Eagle's Aerie together. Included was Anna and Hawkman and Dr. Fate. The latter of whom was a complete mystery to even Anna who also lived in Fate's Tower. Upon their arrival they were met with Barda's frustration over trying to contact either Himon or his daughter, Bekka, through the otherwise seemingly infallible Mother Box.

"Damn, Himon. He's not wearing his Mother Box link. Which can only mean he's back on Apokolips assisting the Hunger Dog and Lowly rebellion taking place there," Barda summarized.

Which was news to the JLU Founders because Wally West, their Flash, was participating in said rebellion. If action was heating up, the Flash might need assistance from his fellow JLers. Which couldn't happen if they were unaware of the need to begin with.

"And Bekka?" Shayera asked.

"Disconnected her Mother Box from the link," Barda sounded weary, "She's never reconnected it after leaving New Genesis following her divorce from Orion. Frankly, she doesn't want to hear from anyone from New Genesis."

"And afterwards she became a Fear Lantern," John brought up again.

"John, you can contact any ring wearer of any Corps, correct?" Sentinel asked.

"Theoretically, generally speaking different Corps have to be in close proximity for that to work," John clarified.

"But if you had enough power gain to reach across space, could you speak through her power ring?" Sentinel was reminded everyone he'd been a broadcast engineer for several decades.

"Just what are you getting at, Alan?" John asked Earth's first Green Lantern.

"My power ring draws its strength from the Green Flame which in turn is an elemental force created by the Starheart which was fashioned from the Green Light of Will," Sentinel explained, "Jessica has a Ring of Volthoom which taps into all the emotional spectrums but principally Will and Fear. The two spectrums we need to bridge."

"So if we pool our resources we could boost the gain enough to contact Bekka," Power Ring realized.

"Despite it being a Yellow ring of Fear," John got it, "It's our best shot."

"It's our only shot," Barda warned them.

"While you're attempting that, we can try and reach out to people that were on the missions to Earth-2 and Earth-3 while events occurred on Earth-9 to see if they can compare notes towards anything similar to Degaton's arrival," Superman suggested, "Two cases in relief are Power Girl and Black Mary. Galatea became Power Girl because of her time on Earth-2 and Mary Marvel came back from Earth-3 as Black Mary.

"You were on the Earth-3 mission, Carter," Shayera reminded Hawkman.

"I was, like most us, a prisoner throughout the greater portion of our time there. Anna was with Mary through the events leading to Max Lord's rise to power," Hawkman replied.

Shayera recalled his wounds when he returned. Apparently they went deeper than mere flesh. She decided not to press the issue but Hawkman spoke up anyway.

"The Power Posse took over and no one except the Crime Syndicate has ever appeared on our world," Hawkman deduced.

"That's what we thought until Blackwing appeared," Trevor was still angry over the lives lost at Blackwing's hands.

"How do we reach Power Girl and Black Mary?" Flash asked.

"I do it," Stargirl had been forgotten in the mix until she answered Jay Garrick's question, "And I do it alone."

"Agreed," Superman was skeptical but compliant. He'd sensed the pairs' reluctance to join the JLU. Due in no small part on how he'd mistreated them over the years.

"Anna, why doesn't Superman ask you about Earth-3?" Atom Smasher asked her.

"I was the power broker that gave Max his victory and liberated our comrades," Anna quietly shared, "A singular truth Superman does not care to revisit."

"Or did you help him forget?" Al Rothstein hated to ask knowing her former predilection for memory charms.

"Dearest Albert, you know I've forsworn using such charms unless it is vitally required," Anna sighed.

"But did you deem it vitally necessary in this case?" Al wondered.

"Of course not!" Anna was appalled he needed to ask, "Besides they work best on the unprepared and unaware. Superman knows my history nearly as well as you do and is guarded around me at all times. I believe I unnerve him because I am a rarified being on this planet that can inflict mortal harm upon him."

"The scariest part is you realize it," Atom Smasher was a little unnerved himself.

"And why shouldn't I?" Anna asked, "Our entire lives are about checks and balances. My power his held in check by the Lords of Order and I answer to them for my actions. Who does Kal-El of Krypton answer to and who checks his power?" Anna inquired.

Atom, Smasher didn't like the implications.

* * *

Jessica Cruz and Alan Scott added their power and focus to John's. Bekka's annoyed image appeared in green, "Oh, it's you."

"No, it is I," Barda came into view.

"I'm sorry about Scott. Highfather must mourn," Bekka offered.

"I wouldn't know. I chose to leave New Genesis and I have been barred from returning as punishment for Scott's demise," Barda shared.

"So this isn't about New Genesis or Supertown?" relief flooded Bekka's expression.

"This is about Per Degaton from Earth-9. He held Himon captive," Barda reminded her.

"I remember the pig," Bekka spat, "You brought Maxima to Earth-9 to hide her from Kalea. Only her daughter came for her anyway and helped me free my father."

"He's come to Earth Prime," Barda told her.

"Of course," Bekka snorted, "It _is_ the only Earth left in existence. But if he is there do not underestimate him. He's as cunning as Steppenwolf and as treacherously persuasive as Glorious Godfrey or Amazing Grace. But he'd conquered the whole of Earth-9 before Himon and I departed."

"So it literally would take the destruction of his world to get him here," Barda surmised.

"And little else," Bekka confirmed the opinion.

"He has a Superman doppelganger with him," Barda revealed.

"Not from Earth-9. That Superman died sixty-four years before Himon reached that world and I came looking for him. The entire Justice Society died including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman," Bekka shared.

"Then who is this man?" Barda asked.

"Is there a Nazi counterpart for the entire Justice League?" Bekka inquired.

"In some shape or form," Barda confirmed it.

"Then they could be the New Reichsmen from Earth-10. On that world, the Nazis won the war using nuclear weapons before the United States could develop them," Bekka shared, "This 'Superman' is addressed as Overman."

"What about a red head with a horned headdress?" Barda wanted to know, "Can you guess who she is?"

"Satan Girl!" Bekka hissed, "She's a demon possessed Kryptonian from Earth-9. Her powers are both natural and arcane. I can't urge enough caution."

"But…" Barda began to protest.

"If this connection is working as it should you should receive my ring's assessments on all involved," Bekka announced.

John, Sentinel, and Jessica's rings all began to flash. Bekka signed off, "Now unlike the Green Lantern of Earth, I have actual work to attend to."

Her image vanished abruptly. John was rueful, "No wonder she married Orion."

"And no wonder she left him," Barda glowered.

"I suggest we divide into three teams," Shayera interrupted, "Each team will have a ring wearer to provide the information Bekka provided. We'll check in with each other in two hours and see about where to go from there."

As the groups formed, Shayera approached Barda, "Bekka mentioned the New Reichsmen but she didn't specifically infer she had data on them."

"Bekka is never less than precise. She name dropped _only_ because she has the data we require," Barda promised her.

* * *

The Marvel preceded Web and Captain Flag by an hour before they teleported in. Captain Flag let Yank take flight while Web stewed, "Where is he? What has he been doing?"

"He scouted the area as a civilian and I was told he was paranoid about his secret identity," Captain Flag told her.

"I was told he named his two pistols," Web frowned, "Where's he going?"

"Yank will come to us if we need him to," Captain Flag assured her.

"How does he know what to look for?" Web asked.

"Yank and I have our own special language," Captain Flag boasted.

"Ew! Is this a sexual thing?" Web was grossed out.

"What? No!" Captain Flag was alarmed she could even think so.

"Good," Web was relieved, "So, I'm new to this whole mystery man and woman thing. How do we get around unnoticed? They didn't exactly drop a car in our laps. Or even a scooter."

"Like everyone else. We take a taxi or public transportation," Captain Flag was jolly about it, "I've found if you look like you belong people assume you're right about it."

"You gotta be shittin' me," Web rolled her eyes.

"Language," Captain Flag chastised her, "And no, I'm not. Hiding in plain sight is the most effective disguise of all."

"You people are so weird," Web complained.

"And now you're one of us," Captain Flag happily told her.

Web was reconsidering that part.


	9. Chapter 9

20

"It seems Per Degaton came to prominence in 1947 when he stole his employer's prototype time machine and relocated into Nazi Germany. There he sold Hitler on the idea of passing the torch to a technologically superior successor. Hitler discipled Degaton for a year and then Degaton headed for the future," Steve Trevor was summarizing everyone's notes, "En route he made an abrupt stop in the Nineties to lead the attack and extermination of the All Star Squadron. By this time, the Nazi war machine had lost Japan as an ally and Italy had also defected only to be conquered by the Nazis. Degaton adopted Jesse Chambers whom he renamed Jenna Quick. He spent a year with her projecting himself as a doting father figure towards her and to a lesser degree towards Rick Tyler."

"Degaton projected himself two decades into the future and reinvigorated the Nazi war effort with tech plundered from Apokolips and a side deal he made with Darkseid. He took Jenna Quick as not only his doting daughter but also as his faithful lover."

"Sick bastard!" Jesse Quick was still having trouble digesting that portion of the facts.

"But it tells who and what we're against," Hourman counseled. He knew Degaton had pitted his doppelganger into a battle guaranteed to kill him because of his outspoken rejection of Degaton's choices concerning Jenna Quick.

"I think we can all agree with Jesse's assessment if not he language employed," Superman said stiffly.

"Oh, darn and phooey, Supes. I'm gonna hafta start watchin' my language," Wildcat mocked Superman's prim attitude.

"This Degaton needs to be put down like the rutting wolf he is," Wonder Woman declared. No one disagreed with Artemis except Superman. But even his hand raised in objection was smacked down by Barda.

"We know Satan Girl took on the earthly identity of Delores Pratchett after reaching Earth from a dying Kryptonian colony, "Strangely for a person developing a Kryptonian's natural gifts under a yellow sun, Satan Girl was obsessed with the occults on Earth-9. Hitler's program to reintroduce paganism to the world also embraced witchcraft and sorcery. And it seems Satan Girl couldn't get enough on the topics," Hula Hula explained, "So much so she became involved with an occultic group that chose to sacrifice her to a demon. But the demon possessed her and added its powers to her already considerable strengths."

"If Degaton was chosen to leave his Earth and come to ours we can only guess at why he chose Satan Girl to come with him rather than Jenna Quick. Or the full implications of that choice."

"The New Reichsmen mirror the original Justice League in many ways," Shayera contended, "Overman, Martian, and Leatherwing stand in for Superman, J'onn Jonzz, and Batman. Underwaterman is analogous to Aquaman. Brunhilde is unique because she's a Valkyrie rather than an Amazon. She doesn't just choose the slain to go to Valhalla. She sacrifices lesser warriors to Odin."

"Blitzen is a female Flash-type speedster but she's Ukrainian by birth and despised by the more 'Aryan' members of the team," Shayera explained, "Overgirl is original because she's Superman's daughter between him and a German surrogate as part of an eugenics program. Apparently she was the first to survive the pregnancy out of a dozen attempts."

Superman looked guilty as he reflected on how Mala had used him to procreate. Barda knew his secret because every New God knew it. She wondered if and when he'd share it with the others.

"So, worst case imaginable. Got it. And it's so much easier to say," Vibe quipped. Everyone wondered if Stargirl was rubbing off on him.

"But now there are others because while we were on a break we watched several other Nazi styled characters enter the Hall of Justice," Hawkman pointed out.

"And we have to assume they enlisted," General Glory put forth.

"We need updated intelligence," Shayera looked towards Trevor.

"I'll call Latham. I know he put the Web Agency to conducting surveillance on the Hall of Justice and its occupants," Trevor agreed.

* * *

The next day found Degaton addressing his followers within the Hall of National Socialism, " _Guten morn_ , my followers. Today we commence our hearts and minds campaign for the souls of these Americans in New York City. We begin by cleaning out the criminal vermin that infest the streets and back alleys. Do not spare the filth but rather make their deaths a lesson to the rest of them. Afterwards, the public will cheer for us as we march down their safer streets. And we will do the same for every city in this country and as our numbers grow, we shall do so for the world."

" _Sieg heil, Mein Fuhrer!"_ Overman's voice boomed.

The assemblage consisting of the New Reichsmen, the Fourth Reich, the Neo-Nazi Korps, and sparing Hirohito's Rising Sun Brigade, offered Degaton the Nazi salute. But Degaton hadn't quite concluded his remarks, "Go! And prove we are the ideal. That we are the cure for the cancers that plague this world. We are the education that will save their minds and raise their children. We are the cause that will save their souls!"

Having whipped them into fervor, Degaton declared, "Go! Now!"

And the assembly dispersed across the Five Boroughs.

* * *

Penny had pulled Plastic Man into the monitor center and Trevor, Hula Hula, and Zinda Blake followed to witness the carnage being wrought by the Nazis' opening efforts. Shayera ramrodded the information they'd gathered down the JLU's throat as well as reviewed the engagement strategies they'd devised. Because they'd run out of time before they needed to be implemented.

* * *

Lex Luthor confronted the UN Security Council combined with the Secretary-General and selected agency directors. Notably excluded were Director Bones, Katherine Webb-Kane and SHADE's rarely seen executive. But Max Lord was in eager attendance.

"Don't be foolish enough to endorse this 'Degaton'. The man only breathes because I allow it and he's sorely testing my patience," Luthor advised the assemblage, "I alone can effectively run this world."

"But our arrangement specifically prohibited you from exerting executive authority," a representative spoke up.

"And I don't," Luthor allowed, " _You_ do. And I exert authority over _you_."

"It amounts to the same thing!" a rep from a non-permanent member snarled.

"Does it?" Luthor chuckled, "I suppose you should have considered that before sealing our bargain. I did exactly as you asked. I rid the world of Saturn Queen. Now you reap my benefits."

"Bastard!" a third delegate hissed.

"My mother and father would disagree despite my father having to take appropriate measures to verify that singular fact," Luthor was amused.

Everyone grew silent as Luthor grew soberly serious at long last, "Just do what you're told and your lives, and those of your fellow countrymen, will flourish. Defy me and entire nations will suffer for it. Anyone care to test my resolve?"

No one responded.

"Good," Luthor approved of the tacit consent, "Blackstarr will now explain how Nazi ideology has evolved into the milder National Socialist dogma Degaton is pandering."

And the ageless Blackstarr had been a Jewish child in a concentration camp before the commandant chose her as a pet for his own daughter. She'd been raised a Nazi adherent, including the racial imperatives that condemned her own ethnicity, and she'd become a leader in the Neo-Nazi movement in America.

"Degaton preaches a tale of a 'new' and 'revised' National Socialism,'" Blackstarr began to describe, "But in the end, National Socialist dogma vows that there can only be one master race. So the question is: which race as Degaton selected to be superior over all others?"

Everyone seemed unsettled as Blackstarr continued, "Before I begin this lesson, let me point out one cognizant fact. Degaton couches his ambitions behind misdirection. Luthor presents his demand up front. Which would you trust in? I know whom I would serve."

* * *

The Web agents had spread across NYC. Two agents per borough with the two for Brooklyn stationed across from the Hall of former Justice. Kevin Wells was the tech wizard assigned to the surveillance. Karen "Buster" Thomas had set up a mobile command station at their post. Sela "Silver" Hines and Len "Big Daddy" Rothco monitored Queens. "Rad" Styles" and "Rowdy" Yates observed Harlem. "Wild" Bill Grady and Francis "Gunny" Beaupre watched over the Bronx. And Jesus "Jump" Kennedy and Richard "Brew" Troy were stationed in Long Island.

Silver's father was the Web Agency's top communications man and he cast a wide net over Manhattan. But the senior Hines operated from Arizona. The theory being that the various heroes that seemed to call Manhattan home would deal with the Nazi deployment.

Meanwhile, Buster redirected Web Agency movement to observe the ongoing rout the Nazi's were causing in an effort to persuade Gen. Latham to allow them to intervene.

* * *

Jack Latham was busy prepping the Mighty Crusaders for action. He sent Special Agent Carol Anne Strander ahead to One Federal Plaza to coordinate the agency responses with the NYPD and the FBI.

"Saddle up, people!" Latham barked as he assembled the Mighty Crusaders, "The effin' Nazis just started killing people on the street. Your job is to stop them and then crucify them. Understood?"

Everyone voiced their agreement.

"The teleporter stands by," Latham announced, "Say hello to New York for me."

And the Mighty Crusaders were eager to do so.

* * *

In the penthouse offices of Starrware, Karen Starr observed the Mighty Crusaders' arrival with her telescopic vision, "The Mighty Crusaders just arrived."

"They don't stand a chance," Mary Batson groaned.

"They will if we keep the biggest grunts off of them," Karen pledged.

"You in, Courtney?" Mary asked Stargirl.

"Awl right! Let's kick some Nazi ass!" her best friend enthused.

"Now I know we're doomed," Mary sighed.

"Suck it, sweetheart," Stargirl riposted.

"Maybe we'll win after all," Mary smirked, "And by the way, Shazam!"

* * *

Traffic stopped as Shieldmaster and Flag Bearer halted a bank robbery in progress. Shieldmaster was Dusty Madigan, the former Dusty the Boy Detective. He'd just adopted his Shieldmaster identity when the original Shield vanished. With all of the federal scrutiny that followed, Dusty retired his costumed persona and lived out an average life in Aurora, Colorado. Afterwards, Dusty and Denise moved to Summit, Colorado.

 _Until_ his daughter, Denise, met Joe Higgins and became inspired to relentlessly hound her father into not only make a comeback but to take her along as well. Denise's idea was to battle street level crimes the Shield couldn't intervene in while serving federal interests. Dusty suspected his eighteen year old daughter was smitten with Joe and was striving to prove herself to both Joe and the Shield. Simple enough since they were the same man. Or it had seemed simple enough when they'd began.

Scoop Cody had unearthed all of these facts through various means. Most of whom were illegal. But the man secretly known as the Marvel didn't care. The truth was still the truth however you found it.

Of course, the MLJ had discovered the Madigans' secret identity from a quasi-legal search and seizure of their home and assets while they were travelling. But Scoop wanted confirmation. And then he'd wanted to observe Shieldmaster and Flag Bearer in motion.

So when he learned of an in indefinite bank robbery, he called in a tip to the hotel room. Dusty had been confused over the call but the Madigans acted upon it anyway. So Scoop, now garbed as the Marvel, had a discreet seat to watch the pair in action.

They were unmistakably related having only adopted domino masks to go with their particular outfits. And Dusty hadn't lost any of skill with a shield. Denise carried what looked like a flag pole but was actually a quarterstaff with an Old Glory pennant at one end.

Marvel couldn't guess at the Madigans' motives than hitting the streets after years of sedate living. But Marvel quickly assumed it had a great to do with young Flag Bearer graduating from high school and meeting the Shield and Sgt. Joe Higgins in the same spring and summer.

Marvel idly wondered how he'd step in to speak with the Madigans with getting brained by either Shieldmaster or Flag Bearer. Then Web and Captain Flag came running up the street from the cab they'd abandoned. Even the damn eagle came swooping in. Marvel knew his moment had arrived.

* * *

Ariel Pryde assembled a fighting force to take the Justice League's Antarctic base. And to kill the pretenders occupying it so that the Global Concern could seize it and its assets. Domino didn't trust the Amercian Crusaders or Bob Phantom despite their supposed changes in loyalty and allegiance. So she went with known criminal contractors to kill the JLA. So let the games begin.

* * *

Dr. Mist and others pondered how next to proceed against the Legion of Doom. When suddenly, the Global Concern financed attack occurred. It seemed the Global Concern had also violated the international ban on teleporter technology to build a device capable of transmitting personnel across vast distances.

As the fight began, Indigo separated himself from the emergency contractors and worked on corrupting the Justice League Unlimited's original computer lockouts. Max Lord had authorized partial access to the JLA. The Global Concern was invested in total access and monitoring of the Justice League Unlimited's files.

Phantasmon and Void battled Dr. Mist directly and indirectly. Void opened a portal to null space. Phantasmon used his gaseous state to infiltrate Mist's body and propel him into the portal. Phantasmon barely escaped Dr. Mist's body as Void sealed the rift in between dimensions and trapped Dr. Mist in a realm of nothingness.

* * *

Belphegor scanned the minds of Lady Sheba and the Queen of Hearts. She was stunned to learn who they truly were. Lady Sheba was the literal, incarnate Queen of Sheba. And the Queen of Hearts was the reincarnation of Cleopatra.

Belphegor found her mentalist powers ended there with the duo. And the Queens' advanced on her. And neither of them was innocent when it came to shedding blood.

* * *

Bullfrog hopped around Kid Impala. The youth channeled animistic power through a totem not unlike Vixen's. But the damn frogman was too fast for him. Kid Impala could see Bullfrog's human eyes staring out from the frog costume's mouth. And he could sense meta-human energies and Bullfrog lacked any of them.

He didn't even seem to possess an unactivated gen factor. But he was a skilled acrobatic tumbler and had springs mounted into the soles of his flipper feet. And like Ragdoll before him, Bullfrog had turned his skills into a unique fighting style.

A fighting style that confounded the relatively inexperienced Kid Impala. In the end, the conflict left Kid Impala dead as Bullfrog's feet. And Bullfrog was ready for his next opponent.

* * *

Destructor lived up to his name despite being deathly tired of being referred to as "Gozer". His energy blasts unraveled matter and atomic bonds almost like nuclear weapons, bombs and therefore the Silver Sorceress was barely able to defend herself. But she'd erected a shielding spell that was stopping Destructor blasts.

But it was a unidirectional shield. So Destructor focusing on the walls and ceiling around Silver Sorceress as well. His goal was to pummel her into submission using the rubble he was creating.

But unbeknownst to him, Silver Sorceress had been casting a second spell to teleport Destructor out of JL-Antarctica. The spell was unfinished when she cast it so it placed him three kilometers away but in the inclement Antarctic winter. Frankly, Silver Sorceress didn't care enough over whether he lived or died to check on him. Instead she prepared herself for the eventual evacuation.

* * *

Buzzard and Crow backed Blue Jay outside. So he took flight. They followed but they'd come unprepared for the brutal conditions of an Antarctic storm. Blue Jay further obscured their vision by assuming his bird size and flying away from them like an actual blue jay. Buzzard and Crow ventured further before turning back. But they couldn't.

The pair couldn't see the JL-Antarctica base anymore. So they blindly flew a search pattern while trying not to freeze to death. All the while Blue Jay easily returned and reentered the headquarters.

* * *

Killer Frost discovered, to her chagrin, that the Gadgeteer lined his armor with self regenerating heating coils which could produce heat faster than she could draw it off. At least not without hitting her saturation point and being temporarily helpless before an aggressor. She only half pretended to cower in fear and tricked him into lunging at her and into a storage locker.

She slammed the door shut and locked it before building a ice wall in front of it. Inside, Gadgeteer couldn't turn around or back out. And his helmet mounted thermal ray could be projected at the back bulkhead for a limited amount of time or Gadgeteer would fry himself in molten metal.

Killer Frost knew she had to metabolize some heat in a hurry but it didn't seem she'd get the opportunity as she came upon Lady Flash's struggle with Burnout. He had the Russian backed into literal corner and surrounded by flames.

"I'll enjoy killing a Flash. Even a fake one," Burnout mocked her. Then his flames snuffed out and he froze over.

Lady Flash found a rosy skinned Killer Frost standing before her, "Frost! What has happened?"

"I've absorbed too much heat energy," Killer Frost explained, "The effect disappears as I metabolize the heat but until then I'm a liability."

"Never!" Lady Flash vowed, "You saved my life and now I will protect yours."

Louise Lincoln decided she liked Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova better clean and sober.

* * *

Valentina Vostok faced down the wrath of the Radium King. But what she discovered was that she could absorb his radiation blasts. And could transform air into steel backed lead barriers to contain him. Having dealt with Radium King, she reverted from her flaming Firestorm mode back to her human guise. Which despite all her protestations, didn't feel quite "natural" to her anymore.

* * *

Insect Queen manifested her four dragonfly wings to flit about and streak through the corridors. Owl took flight to chase her down. Lana Lang of Earth-2 was unfamiliar with the Owl since her world hadn't had a version of him. She was unaware that the Blue Ribbon pocket multiverse contained differing versions of the Mighty Crusaders and their assorted foes. Earth Prime was unknowingly the hub of those realities as well.

But as Owl bore down on Insect Queen, she turned to deliver her "venom" sting. And Owl went into shock as the net effect of hundreds of bee stings hit him all at once. Insect Queen flew back towards Operations to check on Dr. Mist and Belphegor.

* * *

Despite his name and bestial costume, Jackal was all too human. Which meant Tefe Holland's powers over flora and fauna were useless against him. Simply because there weren't any and Jackal was too resistant for her limited scope against _Homo Sapiens_ to work against him. His glove mounted claws were literally carving her up when a static charged red blur beat the crap out of him.

And Tefe spotted a completely normal looking Killer Frost approaching her, "This is different."

"It's also temporary. Which is a good thing because I can't use my power until I use up the heat I absorbed and revert back," Killer Frost explained, "Besides which, everybody is a critic."

"I'm just saying…" Tefe stammered.

"And I'm just kidding anyway," Killer Frost promised her.

"We've talked?" Lady Flash asked.

"Yup," Killer Frost answered.

"Good. Now we deal with them," Lady Flash nodded in the direction of the approaching, victorious members of the Evil Brain Trust.

* * *

Neo Joker pulled out some of her knives against the Clown and Moonlighter. They'd expected Marian Drew to be a lightweight. Instead she was the most lethal person in the room. They fled from her.

Neo Joker began reconsidering her place amongst the "JLers" and on Earth Prime.

* * *

Captain Cold had to admit Lady Spider was beautiful. But she was also off-her-ass crazy. And her psychokinetic webs were a royal pain. So he blanketed the area with his freeze gun to drive her back. Then he went to cheek on his sister, Lisa.

Elasto's ability made him similar in nature to Plastic Man or the Elongated Man. Which meant he was one of the few people that could stretch and twist around Golden Glider's ice trails or the lethal edges her skates. And he was smart enough to avoid tying himself into knots.

Then he suddenly froze over, "Happy to help, sis."

"I had him," Golden Glider snorted.

"Maybe next week," Captain Cold scoffed.

"Why don't we teleport out of here?" Golden Glider changed the subject.

"I blocked the main route but the side doors are still open,' Captain Cold shared.

"Think ahead much?" Golden Glider did her own mocking.

"I have. I know just where to go," Captain Cold informed her.

* * *

Red Star was fluent enough in English to know the Eraser was babbling. But he taken by surprise when a hand swipe "erased" his arm up to the elbow. Red Star was still staring at the missing limb when Eraser took his head away. Then Eraser stood by and loudly went insane.

* * *

Deadly Force pushed Major Disaster further and further back but the Major summoned a volcanic eruption to repay Deadly Force in kind. Deadly Force's contract was for securing JLA headquarters. And it seemed Major Disaster was willing to bring the house down.

Sp Deadly Force negotiated Major Disaster and Big Sir's departure.

Martial Law tried every technique in the book to knock Big Sir out but he'd hardly made the man-child sniffle. But his backspin kick nearly tore Major Disaster's head off. And Big Sir suddenly roared to life. Martial Law wisely ran away.

"Major Man!" Big Sir shook Major Disaster, which hardly helped his headache.

"Mmm… `kay," a dazed Major Disaster promised, "Let's get out of here."

Big Sir was very happy to leave.

* * *

"Whoa!" Killer Frost ordered, "Let's parlay. Why are you even here? What are you after?"

"This facility," Deadly Force answered before anyone else could speak and pollute the meaning of their mission.

"It's yours. Take it," Killer Frost's skin began to turn a pale blue and her hair a darker shade of the same, "Our boss doesn't need it anymore."

"You'll simply walk away?" Lady Sheba was skeptical, "Even after the deaths we've caused?"

"You'll want vengeance," Queen of Hearts predicted

"Maybe once upon a time," Killer Frost countered, "But now? Nope, not interested. We're totally divested in this base and the mission that came with it. You want some secret super villain lair? It's yours."

"Let them go," Indigo instructed, "Deadly Force is right. We have what we came for. _All_ of it."

Silver Sorceress quickly cast the spell that whisked the survivors away. Afterwards, Indigo heard challenges to his decision, "Take it up with Brain Emperor. It was his call to make."

No one would challenge Malik al Thaka. Not even in their thoughts.

* * *

Captain Cold and Golden Glider arrived in the teleporter station to find Neo Joker vanishing in a burst of blue light. Her destination coordinates were automatically deleted from the system. So the siblings set the machine for the same and were taken to their own destination.

"How about someplace tropical?" Major Disaster was asking Big Sir as they entered the facility, "I hear Kooey Kooey Kooey is nice any time of the year."

"Ice cream,?" Big Sir wondered.

"Until you get sick of it," Major Disaster promised. He didn't bother with the auto delete. Who'd want to follow him?

* * *

US Senator Henry Ballard, the ostensible figurehead leader of Intergang, learned the Patriarch of the Syndicate Underground was gathering the Midwest and East Coast leadership on the island metropolis of Seaside City off of the Maryland coast. It was the Patriarch's division of the Syndicate. Pirate Blue held sway over everything west of the American and Canadian Rockies as well as Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico. And the gathering was a rare event to consolidate power and influence.

Ballard contacted the "Director " of Intergang's ruling 100 to dictate "he" should dispatch forces to deal with the Patriarch and his lieutenants once and for all. Fortunately, the quartet that secretly comprised the "Director" agreed. And the Gang even chose to lead from the field. Brains wanted to settle with the Patriarch very up close and personally.

Jenny Elsewhere slid the Intergang team across dimensional folding to deliver them to Seaside City. Specifically to a manor house built outside the city on a bluff cliff. A long spiraling stairwell was bolted to the rock face and led to docking slips beneath the house.

Jenny was rooted to the Prime Universe but she could slide people to any of the Blue Ribbon pocket universes without traveling there herself. Something which Ballard's greed hadn't tried to exploit… _yet_. So transporting people across the eastern seaboard was fairly mundane for Jenny.

But the look on the Patriarch's face as he realized what was about to occur was Jenny Elsewhere's secret, guilty pleasure. And their recognition of what was about to go down was her rhapsodic joy.

Brains signaled the Gang she was headed straight for the Patriarch. They deployed to distract from their leader's efforts. Brains lobbed smoke grenades to obscure Patriarch's bodyguards. She herself slipped on a filter mask and shot the guards as she strolled through them.

Following Patriarch's probable path, she ended up at a safe room. She smiled as she slipped the mask free and shot a guard that arrived in the doorway without ever looking at him. The Patriarch was exactly where Brains wanted him.

* * *

Bulldozer ran straight at Maxx-13 and head butted him in the torso. Which barely budged the human mountain. Besides cybernetic augmentation, Maxx-13 had undergone genetic therapies to make him the size of a Big Sir or a Mammoth. With a similarly simplistic brain.

Bulldozer circled Maxx-13. Then he would charge in to head butt his foe again before withdrawing to circle Maxx-13 again. A process that frustrated both of them.

* * *

Mann-X was another cyborg/genetics blending to create the next Mammoth. Kong came by his size and strength naturally. It had just taken John Lynch weeks of studying Kong's gen factor to activate it and make him a powerful meta-human. And now Kong was the equal to Mann-X or Maxx-13.

Texa managed the Syndicate Underground's territories in Oklahoma and Texas as well as portions of the Southwest. Roxi oversaw the northern states between the Mississippi and the Rockies. It took Ms. Mesmer seconds to conquer their minds and turn them into her willing tools.

But outside the Gang membership, Intergang was also facing other various Intergang contractors. foes. Mind Dancer corrupted Stunner and Strangler's minds and made them fall precipitously in love with her. To the point they would do anything to win her approval…including kill one another.

* * *

The second man known as Black Hand had risen through the ranks of the Irish Mob in Chicago. He'd been dubbed the Black Hand because he wore one black glover over his gun hand. He'd never met the original Black Hand nor a Black Lantern. And he had no clue as to who Nekron was.

What the masked Black Hand understood was violence. And that made him a perfect stooge for Intergang. He had no ambitions other than to serve the head of Intergang. And inflict some death and pain along the way.

No one knew if Black Hand had a family or was even remotely capable of a semblance of love. All public records detailing Black Hand's true identity had been deleted or burned. Witnesses had all been killed. So he was literally a man without a past.

Hit Coffee was the man opposed to him. He'd grown up serving the Patriarch. He'd risen in prominence fast, farther than other African-American from his neighborhood. But Hit Coffee had endured one brief moment of near redemption. He'd killed a previous wearer of the Black Hood and he'd donned it himself.

The hood's enchanted imperative to do justice had tormented Coffee and sent him on a gun blazing spree across Seaside City against the Syndicate Underground. But he'd sold the mask to a dealer who in turn sold it to Wayne Sidmonson. And Coffee never revealed to the Patriarch what had happened. And his unblemished record was maintained.

Coffee quickly gunned down Black Hand. Then pulled the mask off to put a bullet between the man's eyes since he was still gasping for air. He took the mask and glove and noticed Black Hand's left hand was covered in a flesh colored latex. So it seemed whoever he was, no one even knew the truth about Black Hand's racial identity. Something Coffee thought could be usable.

* * *

Pigeon was a professional nuisance. Vandalism was her forte with stalking being a close second. Monocled Monster was just that. A supposed highbrow sociopath. Pigeon chose to deal with him by berating him until he snapped and followed her to someone that was infinitely more lethal. They could remove the blot that was his life.

Defacer was Pigeon's partner in crime and she was tasked with dealing with two of Patriarch's generals. Five by Five and Butch Brady each ran territories for Patriarch. Defacer's entire plan was infuriating them and tricking them into killing one another. Even flesh would or should persuade them to finish each other off.

* * *

Swarm multiplied into insect sized duplicates of herself and attacked Big Boy Malone and Deuces Wild. Individually, each of her bioelectric stings was painful but nonlethal. Combined as a veritable swarm, Swarm's efforts were decidedly lethal and she buzzed all around the Syndicators.

Markov was a former Russian Mafia chieftain and worked for the KGB before the fall of the USSR. The Snail lulled people into discounting him because he waaasss soooo sloooow. Iron Mask chose not to underestimate either foe.

"I'm your personal bug zapper," Sting boasted to Blue Damsel Fly.

His skull-like mask and ever so potent electrical powers overshadowed her modest "stings" But everyone had limits. Blue Damsel Fly just had to stay alive long enough to find them.

* * *

Silhouette made certain he kept broken backgrounds behind him rather than a skyline or a solidly painted wall. Since his outline couldn't be seen that way, he could strike with impunity at Ugly Man and Sir Harold Rogers. Killing them was doing them a favor in Silhouette's opinion.

Overseer dominated Walrus, Gourmet, and Bookworm. They begged the dominatrix for sexual pleasures but she made them perform on each other. Acts which usually only excited them when they involved boys younger than age eight.

Dragonfly was new to costumes and super villainy but she was bold enough to share a name with the leader of the former Black Seven. And like that leader, Dragonfly was an accomplished assassin and mercenary fighter. Something neither the Artist or Dr. Defeet could boast. But the national gang leader and arms dealer, the Jewel, could. He would be especially problematic and Dragonfly was looking forward to solving that issue.

Metal Witch covered herself in metal except for her lower face and her scalp. Her costume formed the components of her weaponry of choice. Shark Man, Karl Rance, and Dead Hand Legendre couldn't harm her directly but they could push her over the sea wall. Where she'd either dispose of her attire or drown. Either way, she'd be easier to deal with.

Red Shark and Dolphus came out of the salt water pool to threaten Adhesive Man. He showed himself to be determined to glue them in place. And even Dolphus, who was a human-dolphin hybrid proved vulnerable to the attack.

* * *

Jenny faced a threat in four parts. Captain Balbo fancied himself a modern buccaneer. Blackbeard thought he was the living incarnation of the legend. Black Knight fancied himself a medieval rogue reborn in a modern era. And the spirit of the 19th Century serial killer called Applejack possessed a weak willed English teacher.

The hardest part was getting them lined up. But afterwards, Jenny Elsewhere opened a portal to Angor and got running start to push them through the portal. And reaching it, it was like she'd slammed into a wall even before she closed it. Afterwards, Jenny took a breather.

* * *

Domino redirected her second force from being Antarctica bound to New York City. There in Manhattan, they intercepted the Mighty Crusaders. Thus attempting to curry favor with Degaton. Domino contacted him directly to inform him of her plans.

Shield pulled the Mighty Crusaders together as the teleporter released them. Then he began deploying them in a search grid to find the Fourth Reich, the New Reichsmen, the Neo-Nazi Korps, and Hirohito's Rising Sun Brigade. He made mention that enemies were all around them when Dream Demon replied.

"Or they could just be standing here waiting for you," she snickered.

"The Eliminators and friends," Web groaned, "This ought to be fun."

"Only for us, darling," Dream Demon signaled the others to begin their attack.

Mighty Man decided to pit his strength against the Shield's vaunted invulnerability. He hadn't counted the fact the same strength enhancing formula that coursed through Mighty Man's veins, and made him unstable, was in Shield to a lesser degree. And the formula met with the nanites keeping Joe Higgins alive to render him just as vital and strong as Mighty Man. So it came down to skill.

* * *

Black Hood's bullets just bounced off Chromium's metal skin. Chromium laughed, "Better get something bigger."

Looking around, Black Hood spotted just what he needed.

Web couldn't believe someone as idiotically named as Magnetic Monster could interfere with his action suit. But John Raymond was hardly helpless without it. He'd read about Jane's exploits as the Web in San Fran. She'd done it all without a suit boosting her physical capabilities or wiring her to the World Wide Web 24/7. If his niece could do it, he could do it too.

Jaguar could smell someone. She could also hear someone breathing. She just couldn't see anyone. Which is how the Invisible Terror earned his name.

Lodestone's magnetic powers couldn't directly affect War Eagle. But Manhattan was made of metal and it could be used to deadly effect on the winged woman. Lodestone wanted to hear the aggressive and supposedly fearless War Eagle scream in terror before he killed her.

Rogue Star and Radiation Rogue blasted away at Comet. Rogue Star was reminded of his daughter. She was younger than Comet and already had her father's powers. But that wouldn't stop him from burning Comet from the inside out.

Radiation Rogue was the insurance to saturating Comet with radiation he'd be forced to absorb. Absorb and never release until he literally exploded from it. So the pair of villains were relentless and Comet began to suffer from it.

Fly Girl had barely evaded Spider's first two traps and avoiding "web" lines cost her the ability to properly target Spider with her buzz guns. And it was really starting to piss her off.

Fox didn't wait to draw his _katana_. Claw had brass knuckle mounted eight inch blades protruding from the mount. Only Bronze Tiger was said to use such weapons. Fox had no way of knowing Claw had also been trained by the League of Assassins. Only he'd been dismissed for violating their code of ethics. Which bode ill for Fox.

Tremor isolated Inferno before dropping a building on him through a directed path earthquake. Tremor was confident he'd drawn first blood. Not knowing about Inferno's synthetic nature.

Steel Sterling threw himself at Brontosaurus despite Metal Master's attempts to warp his biometal body. Steel Sterling assumed that since Brontosaurus was already dead, he wouldn't mind being dismembered. _If_ he could continue to resist Metal Master's ongoing efforts.

* * *

Darkling faced Dream Demon down. Dream Demon compared her to Dora Keane, "Similar powers but something new to the mix."

"Bite me, bitch," Darla Lang retorted.

"So feisty. Your terrors will be especially exquisite," Dream Demon predicted.

"Bring it," Darkling taunted her.

And then Darkling and Dream Demon unleashed their full might against one another.


	10. Chapter 10

30

The Justice League Unlimited teleported into Brooklyn, nearly within sight of the occupied Hall of Justice. Superman began his obligatory speech, "We know our prospective dance partners and Hula Hula and the others will guide us to them. But they've added strangers to the mix as well. We'll begin with our designated dance partners and then work our way through the Five Boroughs cleaning house."

There was a general commotion of assent with one question from Hourman, "What about Stargirl and STRIPE?"

"Courtney is somewhere in Manhattan. Trevor won't say where. But Mike Dugan was alerted and deployed from the K-Star Ranch. We don't exactly know STRIPE's maximum air speed but I'm willing to bet Mike will find out today," Superman told the crowd.

There were smiles over that so Superman started to take flight, "So let's do this thing."

So the JLU spread out to deal with their Nazi counterparts.

* * *

Superman's vision and hearing led him to where Overman was butchering a drug den and everyone in it, dealer, enforcer, and user alike. He only took time out to rape the women who were there scoring and using drugs. None were safe from his predations until Superman knocked him through a wall to the street beyond.

"Ah, my weakling inferior," Overman pulled his pants up and buckled his belt, "You should be grateful I am enforcing the laws you are sworn to uphold."

"The law has specific crimes that merit the death penalty. And that punishment is only meted out by juries of a person's peer group," Superman lectured.

"So drug dealers condemn their competition," Overman mocked him, "Very democratic of you."

"It's still the best system humanity has devised for governance," Superman stipulated.

" _Nein_!" Overman raged, "Fascism is the ultimate expression of human achievement. These dregs are just polluting the sacred _Volk_. Better to cut the cancer out before it breeds weakness into the organism."

"Not on my watch," Superman vowed.

" _Ja_ , I was praying you would say that," Overman admitted, "All the better to begin by surgically removing the greatest cancer of weakness."

* * *

Barda intercepted Overgirl as she tried to fly in to assist Overman. Barda's mega wand swatted Overgirl out of the sky. Overgirl was still recovering when Barda's hover discs settled her down nearby.

"Bad enough Hitler couldn't settle for a clone. Instead he had to try and breed Kryptonian hybrids," Barda was disgusted.

"Who are you?" Overgirl was still startled someone on this Earth could hurt her.

"I am Barda, former leader of the Female Furies of Apokolips and a general of the armies of New Genesis," she explained.

"The what of where?" Overgirl asked.

"I'm a New God," Barda grated.

"You're no god," Overgirl retorted, "Wotan and Thor are gods."

"Odin and Thor are the purest blood demons I have ever met, and Wotan is merely a craven sorcerer" Barda informed her, "Otherwise, test me and learn for yourself."

She could see by the flash of fire in the eyes and the set of her lips that Overgirl accepted her challenge.

* * *

Wonder Woman's steel clashed with Brunhilde's. But Artemis kicked Brunhilde back and dove and rolled bringing her bow up. Her arrows went through the shieldmaiden's namesake defensive weapon. But Brunhilde simply pulled the arrows through her wounds.

"Stop wasting my time," Brunhilde demanded.

So Wonder Woman sat her bow aside and drew her sword and unslung her shield. She had one goal and that was to lay waste to Brunhilde's life.

* * *

Green Lantern had been chosen to deal with the Martian. John Stewart's indomitable will was considered to be equal to the task. The Martian ruthlessly attacked on the telepathic front but John refused to break. This set up a contest of two minds both so determined and unassailable that each was rendered immobile by each other's efforts to contain the other one.

General Glory had been assigned to deal with Leatherwing. When General Glory found him, Leatherwing was poised to kill two muggers and a pickpocket. General Glory simply tossed Leatherwing.

"Go!" he shouted to the victimizers turned victims.

Leatherwing had twisted in midair to land on his feet, "You defend these scum?"

"I don't defend whatever their crimes may have been but I defend their rights to live and to sit before a jury of their peers," General Glory stated.

"And I champion their right to choose death as their bitter end," Leatherwing exploded into action against General Glory. And General Glory quickly deduced the differences and similarities between Batman and Leathering.

* * *

Underwaterman loathed doing so but he went downriver to the bay and circled back west arrive at the other side of Manhattan. Supergirl intercepted him before he came out of the water. Underwaterman let go of an evil chuckle.

"You were stupid to confront me in my own element," Underwaterman boasted.

Matrix's force vision propelled Underwaterman out to sea. And she took pursuit to knock him even further out.

* * *

Vibe set up a vibration that blocked Blitzen's egress. She probed the vibrational harmonic with her fingers, " _Vas_?"

"Would you care to surrender now or after we fight?" Vibe asked her knowing Gypsy was setting up an ambush. But Blitzen was already gone. And now standing in front of Vibe.

She punched his face so fast he never saw her move. Blitzen sneered at him, "After."

And she was off again as Vibe stood back up and wiped his bloody nose, "I hate her already."

Gypsy reappeared, "I think we're in for it."

* * *

Volkssturm streamed torrents of electric energy at the Atom after spotting the JLer's approach. But he soon noticed Atom was missing from sight. And then the Mighty Mite grew to human proportions again from beneath Volkssturm. Atom then caught Volkssturm with an uppercut that clapped the Nazi's jaw shut and knocked him off of his feet.

Angrily, Volkssturm quickly rose back up and spied around to find the Atom was missing again. So Volkssturm deviously hatched a plan. A plan that included zapping Atom until the man's eyes burst and his skin blazed.

Captain Murder attacked Power Ring without provocation. Jessica Cruz defended herself as best she could but her Ring of Volthoom was weakening since it hadn't fed on human fears lately. And Captain Murder's naked aggression was enough to give her an advantage. Jessica quickly reprioritized: survival first and detaining Captain Murder second.

German scientists had stolen Rex Tyler's formula for Miraclo. But it was an unperfected variant. The Nazis went ahead with it and modified the drug into a one use version that altered humans on a genetic level. Fortunately British and American bombers blew up the lab and all of its samples and notes during the fire bombing campaign in Dresden.

But one applicant had already served as a test subject. And so Master Race had been created. But a latent gen factor also activated giving Master Race the ability to project force beams. So he was busy knocking around Atom Smasher. When he tired of being a punching bag, Atom Smasher grew to equal twenty stories in height. Then he dared Master Race to knock him down again. '

Master Race accepted the thrown gauntlet.

* * *

Rick Tyler, son of the original Hourman, utilized the perfected model of Miraclo specifically formulated for him by his father. The Hun was magically imbued with great strength, nearly equal to Hourman's. His shield channeled the energy that powered him and also served as an offensive and defensive weapon.

Hourman was still wounded from Detroit so the Hun enjoyed his superiority for as long as it would last.

* * *

Anan Fortune studied Dr. Demon's synthetic natures and began whispering a spell under her breath. But she held the spell in reserve should the worst happen. Dr. Demon derided Anna.

"Magicians, charlatans, and fakers all," Dr. Demon sneered.

"So it's been said," Anna conceded.

"I will kill you slowly despite your Aryan looks and harvest what's left of you for my lab," Dr. Demon predicted.

"Sounds exciting," Anna remarked.

Dr. Demon went ballistic and Anna erected a shield spell to ward off the attack, "Oh, drat and bother."

* * *

"So, a knight and the man that slew Hunter," Ace of Blades drew her saber, "Care to test my steel?"

"It would not be seemly to fight a woman," Shining Knight protested.

Ace of Blades made a quick thrust and cut an AB into Sir Justin's cheek, "Defend yourself or the next one is through your heart."

"Mayhap I spoke too soon previously," Sir Justin drew his sword.

Ace of Blades made good on her threat.

* * *

Laughing Skull took hostages when Plastic Man arrived to apprehend him. He was laughing and wore a skull mask so it seemed his name was apropos. Plas tried to calm him down.

"I'll just be outside but if you kill anyone I'll be back faster than you'll be to see me," Plastic Man promised him.

Laughing Skull just seemed more amused. And Plas had no intention of leaving Laughing Skull unattended.

* * *

Stargirl had recruited Power Girl and Black Mary to assist in the fight, "Okay ladies, let's kick some ass!"

Power Girl reached Captain Nazi before Mary could, "Stand down _Herr Kapitan_ , or I'll make you stand down."

" _Dumbkoff liebchen_ , there is no stopping Captain Nazi," he declared.

"I've heard the same before in both the first and third person," Power Girl quipped as she recalled her fateful meeting with Lord Superman and the other Justice Lords.

* * *

Black Mary punched Madame Libertine straight into the asphalt beneath them. Madame Libertine mocked her, "Still the spoiled brat, Mary Marvel?"

"It's Black Mary now," she told Madame Libertine before punching the other woman through an abandoned armored car.

Madame Libertine belatedly realized the changes that turned Mary Marvel into Black Mary were more than cosmetic. Black Mary's eyes bespoke of the need to kill Madame Libertine.

* * *

"Hold it right there, bucko," Stargirl ordered Baron Blitzkrieg.

"Ah, they send _der kinder_ to deal with this old man," Baron Blitzkrieg was amused, "Tell me, _Katchzen_ , how do you propose to stop me?"

Stargirl used just the Cosmic Rod to blow up an abandoned city bus.

" _Mein Gott_! That could do it," Baron Blitzkrieg murmured to himself.

* * *

STRIPE roared in to land between Baroness Blood and her intended victims. STRIPE spoke to the intended, "Drop the loot and scram."

The would be crook froze in fear.

"NOW!" STRIPE's public address boomed. The crook ran away leaving a puddle where he'd stood.

"No one comes between my prey and I," Baroness Blood uncoiled her metal whip.

"Don't call me 'no one' call me STRIPE," Mike Dugan relayed to the remotely controlled mech.

"I intend to do more than that," Baroness Blood promised.

* * *

Then the _really_ unexpected help arrived from Antarctica via a slide spell. Tefe Holland was still trying orient herself, "Where the effin' hell are we now?"

"New York City," Killer Frost pointed an NYPD squad racing down the streets with lights and siren blazing.

"Sounds like trouble," Lady Flash observed.

"When isn't there?" Blue Jay inquired, "You can't cram millions of people in confined quarters and not expect psychosis to run rampant. It happened on Angor too."

"Then we need to help," Insect Queen demanded.

"But is it our fight?" Valentina Vostok asked.

"It became our fight when we joined a Justice League. Our league may be dead but we're not and our commitments stand," Killer Frost told the group.

"Who are you and what did you do with Killer Frost?" Silver Sorceress asked.

"I just want to help out," Killer Frost replied, "Just because it's the right thing to do. I haven't done that very often."

Baroness Blitzkrieg streaked buy and Lady Flash hesitated long enough to say, "I see trouble."

Then the Russian was gone. Up above Overman knocked Superman into a building.

"Definite problems," Tefe riposted.

"My insect friends are already reporting trouble all over this city," Insect Queen made mention.

"Tell us and we'll know where to go to," Killer Frost urged.

* * *

Killer Frost found herself confronting two foes. Hachiman's sword broke ice barriers with the energy crackling off of the blade. Firebug slowly melted them with pyrotechnics and fuel-air bombs. Firebug wore a fireman's gear but was horribly disfigured by severe burns that no amount skin grafts could hope to cover.

Killer Frost was learning how difficult it came it preserving lives rather than simply taking them. And she still had to be careful regarding how much thermal energy she absorbed having just gotten her natural bluish complexion back. But she'd promised Godiva she'd try a new course for her life and she was starting to actually enjoy it.

* * *

Lady Flash passed Baroness Blitzkrieg and tripped her up. Blitzkrieg rolled and got right back onto her feet and adopted a fighting stance. Baroness Blitzkrieg shook her memories and came up with a classification for Lady Flash.

"Weren't you a villain?" the Baroness asked.

"I have my days," Lady Flash retorted.

* * *

Captain Nippon smacked his knuckles together and transformed into a Marvel or Sivana-like being. Japan had wanted a national counterpart to Captain Nazi. So they tapped one of their most decorated soldiers and transformed him with _Shinto_ sorcery and stolen _Taoist_ alchemy. Valentina reciprocated by transforming into a Firestorm.

"I advise you to surrender," Val told him.

"My dishonorable emperor surrendered to the Allies. Never again!" Captain Nippon vowed.

"Very well then," Val desperately tried finding a way out of killing the Japanese super soldier.

* * *

Red Death gassed the crooks and assailants he met. The noxious red fumes would shrivel a person's down the bones and hallow them out so that the victim looked as cadaverous as Red Death himself appeared. Of course, Red Death's outré appearance caused most to lose bladder function and run. Those that stayed to fight invariably died. Insect Queen had volunteered to face this ghastly horror. She never once doubted her choice or her resolve to stop Red Death's rampage.

Tefe learned first that Iron Fist really did have a metal hand frozen into the shape of a fist. So she had to give in advertising credits to Iron Fist. Even though he was obnoxiously trying to kill her. He might have been a martial artist but Tefe was back in an environment teaming animal and vegetative life. Iron Fist didn't stand a chance…considering if she evaded every punch he threw.

Faye Morgana was a sorceress that had served Nazi ambitions during the Second World War. But after the war Faye had to fake her own death in order to dodge the relentless pursuers seeking her head for war crimes tribunals. Part of her mystic gift was the longevity she displayed. Even at over one hundred years of age, she still looked like she'd merely hovered around forty.

Master Race had tracked Faye down and offered her chance to make a difference once again. With Degaton manning the Nazi raft through the rivers and circumstances of life, Faye felt confident to pursue world domination once again.

And it was Silver Sorceress' job to stop Faye's ambitions.

Despite being the size of a bird, Blue Jay relative few advantages in his fight against Crossbow. And given Crossbow's nearly unerring aim, he'd almost been skewered a few times. But Crossbow couldn't fire indefinitely. He still needed to reload between shouts and he'd run out of quarrels. But Blue Jay retained his normal strength level as a bird man and he was difficult to see in the urban jungle.

* * *

The Web Agents got the green light to engage the Nazis. So the Web Agents followed Latham's orders to apprehend the Neo Nazi Korps. Fortunately for the federal agents, the Neo Nazi Korps was still largely adrift in Brooklyn.

Karen Thomas had been a scientist working first for CADMUS and then ARGUS when she left her lucrative job to work for John Raymond with a request that if she perfected her enhancement process for the human body she'd let John be her first live trial

But she used the implants on herself before constructing any more of them.

And Karen became Buster of the Web Hosts first and now of the Web Agency. But there had been one tragic failure of her first second attempt to replicate her enhanced success. The Web Host called Studs had undergone a severe psychological shift. In short, he went mad from the implants' interface. Buster developed implants to be surgically grafted to counter the potential detrimental effects of the original first generational designs. Unfortunately Studs had escaped Raymond's custody and went rogue.

Buster was brilliant, observant, charismatic and now she was the field leader for the original Web Hosts within the newborn Web Agency. And she'd been pitted against Scarlet Skull and his henchgoon, Rubberman. Both of whom appeared to be caricatures of well known super villains. Even if some of them weren't real.

Scarlet Skull literally wore a red skull mask. Rubberman had been the victim of his own rubber plant's own molten rubber vats and now his skin was suffused with rubber. Scarlet Skull had been born near the Aryan Nations compound in Idaho. His parents had joined the party when was a child. Born into hate, Scarlet Skull flourished after his parents gave him to the party leadership. He killed them to display his gratitude when he reached eighteen. And so his initiation into the Neo Nazi elite was completed..

He'd left Idaho after lethally "dealing" with counter protestors. He'd sat through a jury trial revolving around the murders during that protest clash. But his lawyers persuaded the jury that with so many people all fighting one another at the "peace rally" that Scarlet Skull was acquitted. Looking around the political scenery of the modern United States, the man that would become known as the Scarlet Skull realized the Nazi movements in America were too factitious and required unification.

Blackstarr was his major rival for control of the assorted National Socialist movements and parties. Taking a cue from a WWII comic hero of his, Scarlet Skull sculpted the molds for which his trademark mask emerged from. Then the Scarlet Skull went abroad, particularly in Russia and Eastern Europe.

There he found he wasn't the only American Nazi power broker in Europe, The Masked Leader was a thug at heart and appealed to the Neo Nazi's collective savagery. But Scarlet Skull had been growing more sophisticated and circumspect regarding lethal force. The Scarlet Skull evoked imagery of National Socialism's finery and pageantry.

The Scarlet Skull revived the fringe national socialists. His mask became symbol of all their frustrations. Soon, INTERPOL and the ISA marked Scarlet Skull as the most influential Nazi adherent, his influence eclipsed even that of Blackstarr and the Masked Leader. Followers noted that Scarlet Skull had Hitler's charisma and mystique coupled with his madness as well.

But like the original Nazi hierarchy Scarlet Skull knew when to back down and serve the one true _Fuhrer_ that rise above the rest of putrid masses. And Scarlet Skull believed Degaton to be that man.

Degaton was the face and voice of the new National Socialism. Scarlet Skull just wanted to be his tool in casting the weak and corrupted governments and erect Nazi governments in their place And the Skull wanted to be on hand when this _Fuhrer_ stepped aside and become Degaton's voice from that moment on.

Rubberman had been thrown in a vat of molten rubber sap. It burned his flesh and replaced his dermal layer with rubber. Rubberman had quickly tracked the guilty parties and learned firsthand how hard it was kill anyone made like rubber or by rubber itself.

Rubberman left his estate and his family fortune behind. Wandering around the rest of Eastern Germany he saw of the post-communist youth joining the neo-national socialist movements. Rubberman joined ranks and his comrades were delighted to learn Rubberman didn't have thumbprints with which to incriminate himself in the increasingly dangerous world of thefts and bank break ins. And it was there that Scarlet Skull found him and gave his life a higher purpose.

"Freeze or I will open fire," Buster declared.

"Do your worst, mongrel slave. We've killed dozens of your _Juden_ families and all of their relatives," Scarlet Skull sneered, blithely oblivious to the fact Buster was Anglo Saxon.

Buster had enough at this point, Scarlet Skull ducked behind Rubberman as the bullets harmlessly embedded themselves in outer layers of rubberized skin. Buster ejected her empty magazine reloaded the pistol with flechette rounds. Basically made of bundled razor blades, they could tear a body apart with one shot. But the razors bounced off of Rubberman.

"Shit!" Buster exclaimed.

* * *

Scarlet Skull's first two super Nazi had become known as Condor and Sinhart since they'd enlisted with Scarlet Skull. And they'd flown to Brooklyn to meet Degaton and offer their services and very lives to the time traveler. Sinhart had been a Klu Klux Klansman before joining the Neo-Nazi movement. So he found Silver's blocking their path either a delicious irony a cosmic joke.

"Oh mah, mah mah goodness they done sent a Nee-gro after lil' ol' me. Whut d'ya think will happen here darlin'," he asked Silver.

"I think I'm to drop a whole world of hurt on you when your join your Nazi scum boyfriends in prison, they'll toss you like the little girl you really are," Silver predicted, "You'll get raped fifty times a day just before breakfast."

"Shee-oot, I was just gonna kill ya before. But Ah'm gonna spank your monkey ass," Sinhart boasted.

Silver decided she could have put up with sheer stupidity but he was hurling racial slurs like they were water. She decided to set her conscience back and enjoy breaking him one bone at a time. She doubted it would teach him a lesson but it would be gratifying to confront the sheer affront of hate speech.

* * *

Just twenty feet away, Wild Bill was facing Condor. Condor had to ask, "So what are you, tin soldier?"

"I'm a Web Agent and the man duly tasked with apprehending you if possible and end you if it isn't possible," Wild Bill inform him.

"Vigilante justice will never hold on to me," Condor bragged.

"The I guess it's good I'm a federal agent," Wild Bill replied.

"Are you now?" Condor wore a gleeful smile.

And Wild Bill knew he'd given something important away. But what qualified as something important defied explanation.

* * *

Nazi Germany had attempted on various occasions to recreate the formula that was catalyzed by the mystical Blue Beetle scarab. The easily refashioned Dan Garret's bulletproof chainmail but everything else eluded them. Those scientists fell under the Communist block and the region transformed into East Germany.

After the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and eventually the Soviet Union, the same scientists shopped their discoveries around. And those negotiations failed the grandchildren of original scientists approached Scarlet Skull, who easily procured funds to travel to the United States,

There Dan Garret had passed on the blue beetle scarab to a young college student named Ted Kord. Kord, not chemically endowed like Garret had been stopped from wearing the scarab and locked it away in his safe. And the Blue Beetle set out again as nothing other than a corporate CEO dressed as a beetle and using technology to overwhelm foes. Despite the fact the highly athletic Kord was more than capable taking up to three moderately athletic martial artist types at a time.

But Kord's safe was broken into and only the scarab was missing when he returned to his penthouse apartment. By the time Kord died, Fritz von Straff was the third Blue Beetle. A Blue Beetle who, unlike Ted Kord or Dan Garret, was Nazi sympathizer. And no one knew where Red Beetle and Black Beetle stood on politics but even the villainous would have to concede that the newest incarceration of Blue Beetle would be a threat to Beetles everywhere.

This was who Rowdy was sent to deal with. And revolvers mean little to Blue Beatle's chainmail. But while Rowdy wasn't certain about the other man's goggles, the mouthpiece had a wide hole for a .45 caliber bullet. And it should have ricocheted around the man's skull until his brain was shredded.

* * *

Brick Bat confronted Rad. His bat costume was fiercer than Batman's. But it was severely differentiated by the brick appearing body armor he wore.

Rad shot the Brick Bat twice in the chest and marveled on how Brick Bat was tagged but relatively unharmed. A condition of which Rad thought he'd prepared for. Rad wouldn't surrender…ever. His immense pride and ego refused to allow even the hint of mulling an offer over.

* * *

Panther was similarly garbed in a feline costume, not unlike Wildcat, Catman, or Bronze Tiger in his full regalia. Jump was just ornery enough to want to after Panther. And right away Jump determined Panther was a prestige fighter. But Panther added gymnastics to his motif. In a neo-Nightwing-esque combat style. But Jump wasn't afraid fight him street style with weapons at his disposal that included broken bricks, chunks of concrete, and anything else he could lay his hands in a true urban combat session.

Gunny stopped Red Knight and Death Mask in mid-slaughter. Buster was the only other Web agent tackling two foes simultaneously. First Gunny wondered what the latest Nazi gear stylings were because every one of the goose stepping clowns all wore skull masks it seemed

Red Knight obviously took fashion cues from Deathstroke. Gunny decided he'd enjoy delivering this beat down. The infatuation went even further because Red Knight also carried a broadsword on his back and modern firearms over his person.

An unknown to have been recruited by Dr. Demon to implement surgical crafts of natural flesh to synthetic grafts, Vicenhammer was intercepted by Big Daddy. Vicenhammer's existence was secret until that moment. And he was only thusly revealed because the Eastern German backers felt the time to emerge as fusion between National Socialism and Marxist-Leninists.

Vicenhammer had studied the post-communists with great interest. And he had studied explorations of primarily fusing Russian and Turkic recruits' DNA to yield a servant race in a step above the nominal Slavic and Romo-Gallic race slaves. A lesser category of "Free Subjects" denoted humans and aliens that weren't slaves yet nor were they Aryan pure blood citizens.

* * *

The young hover bike gang labeled the Posse arrived on scene to witness several Web agents fighting for their lives. This marshaled a debate between the foursome.

"I _told_ you the Web Agency was in town. That's what's tricking these stupid bikes follow that crazy beacon that brought us here," the oldest Posse member was fifteen and born as Jamal Townsend but he had gladly accepted the "street" handle of Easy Rider.

"So what?" Cristos Garcia asked. He wanted to be El Lobo but his friends had an alternate name for him.

"So think about it Pinata, this is our opportunity, to tell the Web Agency and the MLJ what we're really doing with these bikes," Lucia Peretti reminded the group. Lucia was known to the others as Italian Ice.

"And that means we should," Shannon MacDonald wanted to be known as the Queen of Scots but was generally addressed as French Fry for her love for fried potatoes.

"I'm going!" Easy Rider brought his bike back into hover mode and then used the opportunity hurl himself at the danger ahead.

"You're on your own Pinata," Italian Ice streaked after Easy Rider.

"See ya, around," French Fry offered a jaunty wave as she pursued the rest of the Posse.

"Hey guys! Wait for me!" Pinata pleaded as he chased the other Posse members down.

* * *

"Even their sand fleas are joining," Degaton was amused.

"I could destroy their equipment to dissuade them," Satan Girl offered.

"Do it, my Little Succubus," Degaton nodded his approval, "It will give them something to think about."

* * *

Jesse Quick fretted as she leaned on top her crutches, "Come on, Rick. Don't make me a widow."

The small assemblage of JLU support staff witnessed the JLers all over the Five Boroughs through the CCTV network Shayera Hol had tapped into. Shayera broke her stoic silence to console Jesse, "I feel the same way about John. He was a Green Lantern before he ever met me but I still worry he won't make it unless I'm by his side watching over him and helping him face the bad guys. I especially worry he'll be killed and leave me a widow with a baby on the way. Because of our wings, Thanagarian births are potentially lethal for the mother and child."

"But your baby will be half human," Jesse pointed out.

"Which a live birth between our peoples has never occurred before," Shayera advised, "Katar Hol and Cha'yera were full blooded Thanagarians but Khufu and Sheyra were human and had human offspring. And so it went for four thousand years."

"You're really starting to believe Carter's reincarnation story," Jesse realized.

"I know what I remember and most of my memories are of a past I never lived in. At least not as Shayera Hol," she stated, "But don't tell John. He hates this stuff and is adversarial with Carter over it."

"I don't blame him," Jesse shared.

"In every incarnation, Cha'yera betrays Katar for a human lover. In my first life that human was John's past life. And we three have been locked in this cycle all that time," Shayera told her, "But now the cycle changed because before the Shadow Thief killed us all. And this time he died first. Everyone is just hoping that breaks the vicious cycle."

"Meaning Carter and John," Jesse clarified.

"Them too," Shayera was still being opaque about the subject.

"Who else can there be?" Jesse inquired,.

"Carol Ferris showed me the mineralized and crystalized skeletons of the 'lost lovers' who died on Zamaron and why that planet was chosen as the Star Sapphires' base of operations," Shayera told her, "Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands or even a million years ago two lovers entered a cave on Zamaron. I'm told it was a lush and fertile world back then. The pair hid in that cave while their families searched for them, the first united effort they'd ever undertaken and all to stop an imminent wedding."

"Romeo and Juliet," Jesse nodded.

"The major difference being s when they discovered the cave's natural crystals quickly formed around their feet and up to their knees. They embraced while the crystals ate them alive. And stayed embraced as they died, covered in sapphire gem crystals. But as they did they began emanating an energy field the crystals absorbed and refracted into the dormant crystals in the cave walls. And so the Zamarons would find the cave and its focal point as a resonator of the Sapphire Light of Love."

"How does any of this relate to you?" Jesse quietly asked.

"That woman in the cave was my first incarnation. Cha'yera would be born a millennia later but because her tragic life echoed the First's and interjected the other lover, that became the new reference point for all the successive incarnations," Shayera explained, "And it superimposed Thanagar on every following life."

"Look alive, ladies," Steve Trevor called back at them, "Things have just gotten interesting."

"Maybe I should contact the Justice Society or even the Birds of Prey," Zinda Blake offered.

"Maybe later after everyone has worked themselves out," Trevor said.

"Ah know Plas. He'll take care of himself," Penny opined.

"Everyone will," Hula Hula amended. Plastic Man was his best friend but the rest of the Justice League needed to be acknowledged here.

Zinda opted to call Sherwood Florist and found out which Birds were available in NYC.

* * *

"You see how dangerous these cretins are," Luthor pointed at the television screen depicting events in New York City, "And the criminals known as the Justice League are just aggravating the situation. "I will deal with both sides of this equation."

"Your Justice League Task Force was a failure," Max Lord pointed out, egging Luthor on. The Task Force served Max now and Luthor knew it as well as Max did. And they did so willingly without any coercion from Max.

"And the Justice League Antarctica cost Mother Russia the People's Heroes," the Russian delegate to the United Nations Security Council warned Max. The implication being Max couldn't afford to lose any more Russian operatives.

"I need my Legion of Doom to be deputized," Luthor announced.

"We will never sanction that band of criminals and terrorists," the Chinese delegate vowed.

"You will if I order you to do so," Luthor threatened.

But The Secretary-General and the delegates refused to cower.

Luthor was actually surprised for a change, "Very well. What happens next is on your misbegotten heads,"

Luthor warned the assembly and then he turned to Blackstarr, "We're going."

And the UN Security Council had never been as united as they were thanks to Luthor.

* * *

"Special Agent Strander is reporting the NYPD and locally responsive federal agencies are behind any and all efforts made by our own Mighty Crusaders and the Justice League," Kenny Wisdom reported to Gen. Jack Latham.

"Wisdom, get a hold of the Justice Society," Latham instructed.

"Got `em, Chief," Kenny told him.

"It's _General_ or _Director_ Latham. Not _Chief_ ," Latham quietly warned him, "Pull it up on the main monitor.

And Mr. Terrific's image appeared on the largest screen.

* * *

"Uh…there's a walking cape and human flag approaching. With a kid," Flag Bearer warned Shieldmaster while he finished his statement to Philadelphia police.

"You're late," Shieldmaster told Captain Flag.

Yank flew down to and perched himself atop of the bank. Flag Bearer looked up, "Yours?"

"We're more like each others," Captain Flag corrected.

"Must be nice, I guess," Flag Bearer refused to get it.

"Are you old enough to be doing this?" Web asked Flag Bearer.

"Look who's talking. What are you? Twelve? Thirteen?"

"Fourteen," Web rolled her eyes.

"Spare me the attitude. I used to cop one too when I was feeling defensive," Flag Bearer advised Web.

"I was as young as that when I first met the Shield," Shieldmaster reminded his daughter.

"Just who are you anyway?" Captain Flag asked.

"They're the Madigan father-daughter duo," the Marvel informed them as he approached, "They're known as Shieldmaster and Flag Bearer."

"That's rich," Web snickered.

"I suppose you have a brilliant moniker," Flag Bearer was getting annoyed.

"I'm the Web," she said as though it were obvious.

"Aren't there already webs?" Flag Bearer asked, "An entire agency full of them as well someone taller and a lot blonder?"

"Bite me," Web retorted.

"You wish," Flag Bearer laughed.

"As amusing as this is, it needs to stop. Now," Shieldmaster informed them.

"You seem to know about us but who are you?" Flag Bearer asked.

"I'm Captain Flag and that there is my friend Yank," he told them.

"I'm the Marvel, scourge of the underworld," Marvel spouted.

"Like a Captain Marvel type?" Shieldmaster was intrigued.

"Like a I'm _a_ Marvel type," he insisted.

"Oh," Shieldmaster lamely replied, "Can we move this to our hotel rooms. It would certainly be more private."

"Excellent suggestion," Marvel was tied of trying to identify threats amongst the crowded streets, sidewalks, and buildings.

* * *

At the Patriarch's manor, the sole home built on the island containing Seaside City, Jenny Elsewhere met up with Brains who guarded the Patriarch's safe room, "Need help?"

"Our information regarding the Patriarch's sense of self preservation outweighing all other concerns was spot on," Brains chuckled, "He rabbited straight into a contained box with only one exit."

"I suppose I could assist," Jenny offered.

"If you'd be so kind," Brains drolly replied, "And if it wouldn't be too much bother for you."

"Smart ass," Jenny knelt before the safe room door and placed the palm of her hand before that entrance, "Stand back. Things are going to get wet."

The floor before and presumably into the safe room began to glow. Patriarch's voice could be heard through a public address system, _"What the hell are you doing? Glorp!"_

Water gushed up through the mini portal Jenny had created outside the safe room. She broke contact with the portal and the water seeped across the carpet, "No more problem."

"Where did you send him?" Brains asked.

"Let's just say those rich, bored tourists viewing the _Titanic_ wreckage will finally discover a body," Jenny shrugged.

"That's so cold," Brains laughed appreciatively.

"In a very literal sense," Jenny said dryly.

* * *

Bulldozer rammed Maxx-13 a dozen times before the frustrated giant flew off. Bulldozer clutched his helmeted cranium, "Oh my achin' head."

Mann-X had a sensor inside of the Patriarch's safe room. It no longer displayed a vital sign and it registered near freezing temperatures. So he chose discretion over valor and also flew off. Kong rubbed his hand, "Ow! Ow! Ow! Let's not do that again."

Ms. Mesmer received word for Brains that the Patriarch had been dealt with. She ordered Texa and Roxi into the pool where they held each other underwater until they mutually drowned. Kong and Bulldozer came to her side.

"Remind me not to go swimming with you," Kong said.

"What a waste," Ms. Mesmer smirked at her childhood friends.

* * *

Strangler was forced to strangle himself by Mind Dancer. But her concentration wavered and Stunner broke free of her mental grip. He put her down and slapped Strangler out of it, "Wake up!"

"Why I oughta…" Strangler shot venomous glares at Mind Dancer.

"No time for that, we're leaving," Stunner informed him.

"The Patriarch will have us killed," Strangler complained.

"You really think he'll survive all of this?" Stunner asked, "I say we stick with Pirate Blue and the Brain Emperor,"

"Good call," Strangler agreed and the left the grounds to find a car.

* * *

Hit Coffee took Black Hand's mask and glove before exiting the former party. He intended to offer his service to Henry Ballard under the guise of being the third Black Hand.

Pigeon had been a champion gymnast in her youth. She still practiced for practical reasons and for fun. Staying out of Monocled Monster's grip was practical. Slapping the bomb on his back and detonating it was for fun.

Defacer sprayed paint into Five by Five's eyes. Then she ignited the mist from a can of hairspray and torched the paint on Five by Five's face before turning her lethal attention towards Butch Brady. But Brady wielded a small caliber pistol and he threatened Defacer with it. But he was so intent on killing Defacer he never detected Pigeon's approach.

She slapped a self adhesive grenade to his back and pulled the pin and the spoon.. Ducking down even as Defacer did the same, the two women were spared the blast when Brady's upper torso was blown apart thereby separating him into two halves. Defacer took the opportunity to reignite some hairspray and to continue to torch Five by Five.

He managed to fall into the pool but he'd already died from the shock his body felt at the extent of his injuries. Pigeon grinned as she reunited with her working partner, "What would you do without me?"

"Have even more fun?" Defacer queried her.

"As if," Pigeon dismissed the notion, "Brains did say a cleaning crew would mop this up, didn't she?"

"The hell if I'm going do it," Defacer remarked, "I make messes and I don't clean up after myself."

"Righteously said," Pigeon congratulated her.

* * *

Swarm overwhelmed Big Boy Lamone and Deuces Wild through numbers alone. And the size of her multiple bodies made it nearly impossible for either the mobster or the card sharp to hurt her as she used her bioelectric stings to inflict lethal amounts of harm upon them.

Swarm re-fused into a single person and like usual, after dividing and remerging she craved honey. Which is why she always requested additional honey sauce packets at KFC. She tore packet after packet apart and squeezed out the honey just to gulp it down. But after a dozen packets, she felt sated.

Iron Mask had voluntarily placed himself within the medieval torture device. And he'd developed a persona while wearing it. It protected his head while he fought Markov hand to hand. But then he bored easily and magically produced a high bore pistol and he put two bullets through Markov's head while his body still spun around from the first shot. The large caliber rounds blew away most of Markov's skull.

The Snail suddenly found himself in Iron Mask's sights. And he couldn't move fast enough to evade two rounds meant for him. Iron Mask released the cylinder on the revolver and tossed the spent brass out and reloaded the four cylinders that had been used. He'd always intended to empty the pistol on the first shots but had been denied the pleasure by the ease of his opponent's deaths. So now he had six fresh rounds to use to put bullets into people.

Blue Damsel Fly and Sting unleashed every iota of power that they'd had at each other. And the resultant feedback knocked them each out. But Sting revived first.

Correctly assessing the situation, Sting knew the Patriarch was a lost cause. So he boosted Five by Five's Tesla sports car and headed for the ferry rather than the bridge to the mainland. By the time Blue Damsel Fly was airborne again to search for him, he was halfway to Seaside City's ferry docks.

Silhouette managed to snap Ugly Man's neck from behind him. But that also pinpointed his locations and Sir Harold Rogers pulled his cane sword free and lunged at Silhouette in a classic stabbing motion. Silhouette fled which only got Rogers; blood up even more. Presenting himself a visible target on the ledge of the sea wall, Silhouette knew he was a perfect target. Rogers lunged at him with his body and sword to stab and then push Silhouette over the retainer. But Silhouette sidestepped and became mostly invisible again.

Rogers teetered over the wall and Silhouette assisted him by shoving him over. Rogers' scream could heard until he splattered across the rocks below. Silhouette wondered if there were any canapés left from the party.

Overseer demanded her subs mutilate their genitalia and they eagerly did so. Her final command was for them to slit their own throats to earn her final reward. Which was her spitting on them all. Walrus, Bookworm, and Gourmet would be revealed as the pedophiles they truly were thanks to Brains' research. As a victim of a child molester, Overseer had been all too happy to engage the trio.

Dr. Defeet dosed the Artist with his depression gas as Dragonfly slipped free. Artist threw himself off of the seawall in a fit of depressive melancholy. Dragonfly finished of Dr. Defeet before she also became a victim. But the Jewel threw down a sequence of flash bombs.

Jewel's gang, the Jewels, had a presence in Seaside City. They'd protect him until he could vacate the island and contact Pirate Blue. Minions were so handy these days, Jewel chuckled.

Metal Witch wore a capacitor on her finger. She discharged it by thrusting her fingers into Karl Rance's mouth until the capacitor met flesh and then fried him from within. She still had a second capacitor on her other hand. Dead Hand Legendre was the next to fall. That only left Shark Man.

Shark Man had spiked brass knuckles instead razor sharp teeth. Metal Witch reconfigured her suits to produce bladed knuckles while the rest of it acted as armor. Despite Metal Witch's superior armaments, Shark Man knew a weapon was only as good as the person using it, so he fought her and discovered she was even better at it than he was.

Red Shark dove over the sea wall to swim out to his ship. Dolphus also dove off and his hind legs merged into a tail as he hit the water. Not unlike Ulla Paske, the Little Mermaid.

* * *

Brains signaled an "all clear" before contacting Ballard, "We can assume control over the Syndicate Underground's operation from the eastern coastline to the Rockies in both Canada and the United States."

" _Good, good,"_ Ballard rubbed his hands together in anticipation,. _"I'll let the 100 know"_

Brains knew Ballard hadn't yet discovered she and the Gang were the mysterious "Director' of the 100. And she wanted him absorbed in taking over the Syndicate Underground while she further undermined his leadership role over Intergang as a whole. And despite her arrangement with Luthor, she didn't plan on answering to anyone once she ousted Ballard from the throne.

* * *

The Shield of Americas realized early on that brute force wouldn't diminish Mighty Man's threat. But New York City itself was a weapon, especially its water works and electrical grid. So Shield used his limited thrust capacity in his armor to hop his way to Central Park where he waited for Mighty Man in the pump house.

Black Hood also led Chromium away from the other Mighty Crusaders. Entirely because he didn't want any witnesses to what he was about to do. In Black Hood's estimation, the other Crusaders were too prissy to take real action against criminals. But Black Hood was determined to discover just how strong Chromium's metal skin truly was.

Web fought Magnetic Monster without employing his action suit. And he'd fared rather well until Magnetic Monster began using car doors and lampposts as defensive and offensive weapons. Magnetic Monster even began pulling fire hydrants from their roosts. An idea which baffled Web.

Jaguar had Invisible Terror's scent one second and not the rest. The wind tunneled through boulevards and shifted rapidly hinting at Invisible Terror's location before he shifted downwind again. All Jaguar knew was that she was taking a beating with no bloodletting to show for it.

War Eagle flew above the city and Lodestone dogged her every move. War Eagle hadn't faced the Eliminators before in Los Angeles so she had no idea how they functioned together and independently. The original five Mighty Crusaders had faced them alone the first time and apparently that had scarred the Eliminators psyches to the point they always brought in help afterwards. Not that the five originals didn't have a greatly expanded roster now as well.

War Eagle led Lodestone out to Ellis Island. The buildings' construction could prove deadly but War Eagle needed Lodestone isolated in order to maximize her natural advantages.

Radiation Rogue and Rogue Star threatened civilians in order to force Comet to take the shot. It was all some grand scheme to overload his system. Which was theoretically possible. No one knew Comet's limits. Not even Rob Conners himself.

Spider couldn't cast psionic web lines like Lady Spider but he did have a mechanical variant that shot bolo tipped lines. And he flashed around a gun he called his "Spider Venom". Fly Girl was determined to test it on him after she kicked him into the ground.

Fox pitted his _katana_ against Claw's namesake weapons. But Claw managed to snap the sword's blade in half. So Fox resorted to using the scabbard. Whereby he could beat Claw senseless and never behead him. Something Claw was to ungrateful to care about.

* * *

Tremor whistled to himself as he left the ruins of the ten story building he'd brought down on Inferno. The fact people were trying to extricate themselves from the rubble as well only increased his sense of satisfaction. And then Inferno dug his way out and his synthetic skin was torn to shreds.

"Damn! You're a robot," Tremor was disgusted.

"That's a popular guess," Inferno worked the kinks out.

"Too bad I only create seismic events otherwise I'd shake you apart one screw at a time," Tremor offered.

"Too bad for you," Inferno's lipless teeth and jaw worked themselves as though he were smiling, "But I can still play with fire. Care to test me?"

* * *

Metal Master was stiffening Steel Sterling up. He couldn't morph his shape but he was still fighting Brontosaurus on even terms. All the while Metal Master tried to deduce how to freeze Steel Sterling up entirely.

Darkling used her power to control otherworldly shadows and realms of mystical darkness to combat Dream Demon's psychic power to force her victim to relive her nightmares. Dream Demon had been plunged into total darkness and cut off from the Prime Universe so she wildly lashed out with her power, catching innocent bystanders gawking at the sight of the combatants. Darkling in turn fought not to lose control of her mind and be forced to relive her greatest terrors. Which in her case was most of her childhood and adolescence.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Trevor, Zinda had contacted Rhosyn Forrest at Sherwood Florist to have the former vigilante contact any Birds of Prey still located in NYC. Rhosyn warned the four women that Power Girl and Black Mary were already in action and gave them a brief summary of the type of foes they could expect. But Rhosyn's brief didn't include the Eliminators or the other members of the Evil Brain Trust just as Zinda hadn't been aware of the Mighty Crusaders' presence until after she'd called in the Birds. But the four vigilantes had seen the Mighty Crusaders' peril on the news And were swinging into action even before Rhosyn called them into it.

Cat-Girl automatically aided Jaguar. Cat-Girl coiled on top of a nearby car where she could witness Jaguar swiping at nothingness with her claws but receiving blows nonetheless. So Cat-Girl vowed to defend her beloved even if Jaguar didn't reciprocate her feelings.

Pow-Girl set aside her animosity to aid the Web. It wasn't as if Rosie disliked John Raymond. Quite the contrary, she adored him. She was just hurt that he married her and cast her aside. She'd even kept his name as her own. So she decided to confide with him her secret. Misfilings and ill prepared briefs had caused Nevada to void the annulment to John and Rosie's marriage. She was still legally his wife. So Pow-Girl decided Web didn't deserve to suffer before he died. And he probably didn't even deserve to die.

She-Fox fought her natural urge to help Fox against Claw. She'd seen how he reacted to Fly Girl. Paul Patton Jr. was smitten with Kim Ward the way he used to be over Delilah Monaco. But she only had herself to blame. Delilah had been the one to call off the relationship when Paul travelled to Japan to become a better Fox. So she decided to assist Fly Girl to help make peace between herself and Fly Girl and therefore calm any worries Fox had over her being She-Fox.

Queen of Diamonds had chosen the Mighty Crusaders as her champions to defend her other-dimensional realm against the depredations of the Druid, the Magi, and the Crone. They could learn teamwork and be even more powerful together than apart. And they were more pliable than the Justice League. But she needed all of them alive in order to break the spell the three magicians had placed on her people and especially their champion, her husband.

* * *

Dick Grayson and Ulla Paske travelled to Sint Maarten, or Dutch St. Martin, in English.

"Are you worried?" Ulla asked Dick while he watched the news as she changed for an evening out.

"Someone brought a host of villains to Bludhaven and we were unaware," Dick said flatly.

"We're here because we're supposed to be," Ulla replied, "My mother's people worship Poseidon. I don't subscribe to it but they teach there's a reason behind everything. Call it destiny or fate or any other buzz word. We are supposed to be here when trouble manifested in Bludhaven. Maybe it's supposed to test us to establish what our true priorities will be."

"I'm sorry," Dick was ashamed, "I already suck at being a husband."

"You're not so bad," Ulla smiled, "But you could use some more practice. This is our first night away. Let's not make it our last and see how we cope in the morning."

"Well, a night out is why we chose Sint Maarten over St. Martin. The night life is supposed to be riotous,"

"Do you ever do anything in the daylight?" Ulla smirked.

"You're asking me that now?" Dick groaned.

"Just for future reference," Ulla grinned, "You've surprised me before. Pleasantly even."

"We're going to have a spectacular honeymoon," Dick promised, "How'd that be for a surprise."

"No television and no newspapers," Ulla instructed, "Call it insurance. And if you trying sneaking in new sites I'll throw your laptop in the surf."

"Yes, ma'am," Dick replied.

"That's a little noncommittal," Ulla deemed.

"Yes, Mrs. Paske-Grayson," Dick amended.

Ulla began shrugging out of her clothing, "Now _that_ sounds just right."

* * *

Dr. Mist had reassigned Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern to observing the comings and goings of Tran Noble Equity's Bludhaven branch. Owlwoman made the first observation, "No one is stirring."

"Yer not gonna believe this," Jack offered her an ear piece blue toothed to his mobile phone that he was streaming news channels with.

The news reported in the events in NYC and Jack warned her, "It's on every channel and every site.

"They've identified Killer Frost," Owlwoman remarked.

"An' a buncha her workin' partners," Jack confirmed it.

"You mean friends," Owlwoman chided him.

"Ya don't live the life she has an' have a buncha friends," Jack warned her, "I know from experience and it's in her name."

"So you don't have any friends, Liam?" Owlwoman asked crossly.

"The closest thing a hafta a friend is you, Wenonah," Jack pointed out, "An' look how that's workin' out fer me. I'm just sayin' she could be a true convert and a bloody true believer in the cause or she could have her own agenda that ends with her killin' all of us. Like I said, it's in her name."

"Her name is Louise Lincoln," Owlwoman irritably reminded him.

"Good ta know," Jack said.

"Fine, pack up your shit. We're going to New York City," Owlwoman decided.

"An' me without a hotel reservation," Jack snarked.

"This isn't a vacation," Owlwoman said crossly.

"But it may be a funeral or two," Jack warned her.

"I'll take the risk," Owlwoman retorted," Will you?"

"Daniel convinced the Fey ta recruit me if anythin' should happen ta him. It did and here I am," Jack explained, "Now I gotta prove ta meself that I got what they saw in me ta give me this chance. So of course I'm with ya."

And Owlwoman saw a glimpse of something in Jack O'Lantern something she dared not hope for. And was terrified to find it in him all the same.


	11. Chapter 11

45

The Justice League was stretched thinly throughout the Five Boroughs. Particularly concentrated on Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Long Island, they hadn't the manpower to check on Nazi activities within Harlem and Manhattan. Fortunately, other brave souls were available to assist, however unwittingly, the JLU's efforts. And it was sheer chance that none of the New Reichsmen or Fourth Reich had gathered the strength to eliminate the population of Stryker's Island with an indiscriminate slaughter.

Other unofficial policies kept them from drifting north in Metropolis or across the river to Gotham City. But Per Degaton eagerly awaited the opportunities to do so once the Justice League was eliminated. The Mighty Crusaders and the Justice Society were also targets when the opportunity arose. But it seemed that an external force had engaged the Mighty Crusaders already so Degaton and Satan Girl watched the news channels with great expectations.

It seemed to the unofficial observers that New York City supported the Nazi initiative. Nearly half of New Yorkers condemned the Justice League's intervention. And even greater number wanted the conflict to stop, remembering past JLU exploits in the city and the damages they had caused. That resentment was particularly focused in Brooklyn where the former Hall of Justice resided. A stark majority of those polled gladly expressed the desire for the Hall to remain in National Socialist hands. Degaton launched his viral campaign to "Make America Great Again" with cunningly expert television, radio, and internet advertising.

* * *

Superman delighted Overman by fleeing from him. The Nazi superman laughed at the sight. But Superman returned moments later, having pilfered the safe for the led lined box Lois Lane had left him in her will. Knowing the pain that he would have to endure, Superman opened the box and pulled out Lex Luthor's kryptonite ring and slipped it on.

Judging by Overman's reaction, he'd never encountered kryptonite on Earth-10, " _Vas? Nein!_ I cannot be so weak. What is this treachery?"

Superman knew his greater exposure had built up a tolerance for green kryptonite and he knew exactly how long it would take for him to suffer the same draining effects Overman now experienced. As Overman cowered before him, Superman used the ring to punch Overman with it.

It left burn marks where it contacted Overman's skin. Fortunately, the effect quickly made Overman succumb and he passed out between the radiation and Superman's blows. Superman desperately returned the ring to the lead box and clasped it shut again.

"That's yet another one I owe you, Lois," Superman acknowledged, choosing to ignore that Lois' corpse had been twisted beyond recognition as a Bizarro.

* * *

Barda volleyed shots at Overgirl. By her estimation, Overgirl was approximately half as powerful as her father, Overman. Barda clipped the mega wand back to her belt. And she was pleasantly surprised to discover that even harried and staggered, Overgirl remained an expert hand to hand fighter.

The Nazis had undoubtedly reasoned that Overgirl would be forced to defend herself far more readily than Overman thanks to her dual heritage. But Barda was the finest warrior on Apokolips or New Genesis despite whatever claims Steppenwolf or Orion might boast about.

Overgirl began to take serious punishment. She rallied to break free from Barda and fly away at super speed. But unlike her Kryptonian father, her diluted genes cut her speed in half. So Barda witnessed where Overgirl returned to. Barda made good her effort to approach the Hall of former Justice.

* * *

Wonder Woman faced a foe as dedicated and ferocious as herself. And Artemis loved every minute if it. But she began to believe her struggle with Brunhilde would only end in death.

At one time Artemis would have given her life to defeat such a foe. But since winning the mantle of Wonder Woman and meeting Steve Trevor, she was no longer eager to trade her life for a victory. But Brunhilde took that choice from her.

A winged horse descended from the heavens above and Brunhilde mounted it and flew away. Artemis wondered just what had happened but she thrilled that she would see Steve, as she now thought of him, again. But Artemis wanted to track Brunhilde down and finish it. So that won the mental and emotional argument. She _would_ fulfill her duty as the Amazon Nation's ambassador to the world. Wonder Woman's winged sandals allowed her to fly, so she picked up Brunhilde's trail and set out for the Hall formerly of Justice.

* * *

John Stewart focused all of his tremendous willpower on the Martian's link to his mind. And Green Lantern broke that connection. And he nearly broke the Martian's mind through the psychic backlash. The unnamed Martian shook it off.

"It seems I was mistaken," with that, the Martian turned invisible.

GL scanned the area with his power ring and could not detect the Martian. He knew from experience with J'onn Jonzz that his ring ought to be able to determine where the Martian had gone if he were close by. But the only secure hiding place for the Martian to abscond to was the Hall of broken Justice.

"I'll be damned," John muttered. It seemed he would see Shayera Hol again and witness the birth of their son.

* * *

General Glory knew he wasn't outmatched by Leatherwing. But General Glory wouldn't employ potentially lethal moves like the Nazi would. So he determined to let Leatherwing wear himself down. After all, projecting enough power to kill an opponent on a sustained basis quickly wore the practitioner out.

Leatherwing soon realized what General Glory was achieving and he switched to a more conservative mode of fighting. But he was winded. He dropped smoke pellets reminiscent of Batman's and in the confusion got one last blow in. General Glory had at least the sense to expect such attack. So when the final killing stroke came, he rolled with it and it became a glancing blow. When the smoke cleared, Leatherwing was gone from sight. So General Glory assessed where he could have gone and determined that the Hall of National Socialism was the only true refuge in sight.

* * *

Underwaterman marveled at the fact Supergirl didn't need to breathe. So she was a perfect choice to pursue him underwater. But she couldn't match his phenomenal speed under the water's surface. So he diverted north towards Metropolis. When his echo location sense informed him Supergirl had been left far behind, he then redirected his path towards the Hall of National Socialism.

Supergirl broke the surface of the water and poured on the speed to reach the Hall first. She wasn't absolutely certain that it was Underwaterman's ultimate destination but Matrix assumed he'd arrive eventually. And when he arrived, Supergirl would settle up with Underwaterman.

* * *

"Here she comes," the camouflaged Gypsy warned Vibe.

He felt rather than saw the speedster's approach. And he erected a vibrational wall that Blitzen smashed into. He rattled the Nazi to the point her nose and ears bled. But he dropped the field and Blitzen was determined to finish the fight. Until Gypsy settled matters by first removing Blitzen's helmet and delivering the final blow.

"Where did you get the rolling pin?" Vibe asked the now visible Gypsy.

"A bakery one and half blocks away,": she told him, "They said that if I brought it back they'd display it as a trophy."

"Cool," Vibe was impressed, "Maybe we should sign it."

"We'd have to borrow a pen," Gypsy lamented, "They are so going to believe we're the least prepared heroes on the planet."

"They'll probably eBay it anyway," Vibe shrugged.

"Well, at least some good would come out of this," Gypsy hoped.

* * *

Volkssturm electrified every surface for half a block. Choosing to do so one direction at time. Atom, who was a mere three inches tall at that point, succumbed to the barrage. Volkssturm stymied by Atom's lack of reappearance built up a greater charge. But a green anvil the size of a VW Beetle dropped on him.

Green Lantern landed and used his ring to locate Atom," C'mon, Ray Fight this. I don't want to be the one to tell Jean you died."

Jean Loring was the only person beside Shayera that scared John. It made Jean the perfect lawyer but it was intimidating on a personal level. And Jean was almost fanatical in her devotion to people and causes. Her renewed attraction to her ex-husband was even more ardent then when they divorced over Jean's infidelity. Whoever she chose to blame for Ray's death would face an implacable foe. John was just glad Ray had gotten her to defend the JLU at the World Court.

* * *

Power Ring finally decided a good offense was just a damn good idea. Jessica Cruz unleashed her Ring of Volthoom's appetite. It struck Captain Murder psychically as well as physically. It plumbed her mind to obtain anything and everything she feared both from fancy and memory.

Knowing memory often served as the ring's primary choice to instill fear to feed off of, Jessica was sickened by the images replaying before Captain Murder. The imagery was so grotesque as insure Power Ring never slept well again.

And the ring misjudged Captain Murder. She didn't respond with fear but rather aggression. A frenetic display of pure wrath the Ring of Volthoom spoke to Jessica and informed her its power reserves were quickly waning. So Power Ring retreated and prayed Captain Murder didn't pursue her. Instead the ring led her to a den of cowering criminals the Nazis had thus far overlooked. And the Ring of Volthoom tormented them for its pleasure and recharging.

* * *

Master Race continued to pummel away at Atom Smasher with his force beams, attempting to topple the giant and then be in a position to overcome him. Atom Smasher took a blow underneath his chin and it finally sent him to his back. Knowing Master Race had been attempting to do so all along, he prepared for the worst.

But Master Race didn't capitalize on his minor victory. Atom Smasher shrank to a twenty foot height and stood up only to discover Master Race was nowhere to be found. And there was no explanation as to why.

* * *

Hourman made the Hun use his shield for defense as Rick Tyler rained blows down upon it. The Hun smashed the shield into Hourman and threw him down upon his back. And Hun simply walked away.

Hourman's Miraclo dose still had twenty minutes to it but the injuries he'd sustained in Detroit wore at him. So Hourman took several minutes to recoup some strength and then wandered off to find a fellow JLer. Hopefully one that could explain why the Hun didn't finish him off.

* * *

Dr. Demon pitted her science against Anna Fortune's sorcery. The magic happened to be winning. Anna could tell Dr. Demon had just received instructions she vehemently disagreed with. Anna cast her hold out spell. Every mechanical part of Dr. Demons body suddenly blew apart. Fortunately for both of them, Dr. Demon's major organs were biological.

"I'm truly sorry but I need you to answer questions," Anna stood over the smoking ruins of her foe.

"You've killed me," Dr. Demon bitterly laughed.

"No, I need you alive so alive you will stay," Anna waved a life support spell, "This is a necessity and not my preference."

Dr. Demon wondered which part of the situation Anna regretted.

* * *

Ace of Blades easily disarmed Shining Knight. Then she allowed him to regain his sword. Sir Justin was flummoxed on several counts. He had a broadsword and she had a saber. His sword should be able to break her blade. And she was a woman.

Sir Justin had developed into a women's advocate after his time with Tessa, before she reverted back to being Eve Aries, and with Goldilocks. But Ace of Blades was humiliating him despite his superior strength and experience. That, he found, was intolerable. He'd carve up every training dummy the Justice League could afford to hone his skills to beat this wench.

Ace of Blades saluted him with her sword, "You've been an entertaining distraction. Until we meet again, if you feel like dying."

She promptly stepped off of the field of battle. Which just insulted Shining Knight even more. He strode off to see where it was she was leaving to. And he would have satisfaction when he dueled her again.

* * *

The hostages Plastic Man liberated reported to the police they had no idea of what had happened. Laughing Skull had been doing just that when the light's went out and he began screaming. The NYPD had found Laughing Skull inside the warehouse tied up with a fire hose and babbling to himself.

* * *

Maggie Sawyer descended on the hub of the conflict. She ordered the various officers and detectives to release those criminals captured by the Justice League and then she issued warrants for the JLU's arrest. The JLers knew of Maggie's quest to capture and try Batman when she was Police Commissioner in Gotham City. But Superman felt he could reason with her in remembrance of her time as captain of the Metropolis SCU.

"Commissioner Sawyer I have to protest this farce," Superman told her.

"The law is the law, even for you," Sawyer replied.

"But we're deputized by the United Nations with universal jurisdiction over member nations," Superman tried to explain.

Sawyer laughed bitterly, "Who do you think these warrants were issued for? The UN wants your heads on a platter and I'm delivering," Sawyer advised him.

"Of course, we'll cooperate," John urged Superman.

"Is this all of you?" Sawyer asked.

Superman and Green Lantern knew it wasn't. John answered, "Yes, it is."

"Now we do the Miranda, but you know the drill don't you? Even though you pretend there isn't one," Sawyer snorted.

"What happened to you, Maggie?" Superman asked.

"You happened," she literally spat at his feet, "And my husband finding out about my girlfriend and getting sole custody of our daughter in the divorce. And then when I moved to Gotham she left me too."

"How is any of that my fault?" Superman asked.

"Until you showed up the revolving door of freaks and world calamities never came to Metropolis," Sawyer told him, "All we had was Intergang and that was bad enough."

But Superman knew the meteoric rise in meta-humans had been underway since the Thirties beginning with the Justice Society and their foes.

* * *

The quartet of Power Girl, Black Mary, Stargirl, and STRIPE continued their struggles against the Fourth Reich. In terms of power and training they were near equals. But the foursome lacked the sheer savage nature of the Nazis.

Power Girl tested Captain Nazi's mettle before testing his resolve. She took note of his blinded left eye and pressed her right handed advantage. But when she punched him and a glass eye popped loose it cost her a blow to her own jaw.

She recognized the moment he chose to take a hostage from the streets below. And as he dove, she followed preparing to pull his arm off of his body if need be to liberate said hostage. But he arced away and flew level with streets off to a still unknown location. But she strongly suspected he'd been recalled to the Hall of National Socialism to further Degaton's bidding.

* * *

Black Mary continued to face down Madame Libertine. Libertine had been Mary Marvel's first foe. And Madame Libertine, once so young, hadn't aged well. But Black Mary knew festering hatred could consume a mind, body, and soul. Not that that was a necessary component to enter Hell if Mary's trip there proved anything. The seeming inequity of it all drove Mary Batson to keep her demon derived powers because it ultimately seemed futile not to.

But with a look of disgust, Madame Libertine flew at her maximum speed away from Black Mary. So Black Mary decided to discreetly follow and learn what had changed. She also wanted to maximize whatever changes had been wrought.

* * *

Baron Blitzkrieg was on one knee coughing up blood after Stargirl's Cosmic Rod barrage. She handed him his metal mask. But she kindly didn't stare at him in horror regarding the disfigurement the burns had caused. Baron Blitzkrieg was infuriated that the _gottverdammt_ Stargirl had so easily bested him. Her compassion would now prove to be her undoing.

He smashed his fists into the concrete and the blow shattered the pavement and unbalanced Stargirl. But even deprived of her accursed Cosmic Rod, her Cosmic Convertor Belt allowed her to continue to plague him with stellar energy bursts. His orders to recall had never been so welcome in his long life.

After Baron Blitzkrieg flew off, Courtney reached out her hand and absentmindedly summoned the Cosmic Rod. So it flew into her hand. She wondered when she'd developed that trick but shrugged it off. Stargirl felt bad for Baron Blitzkrieg. According the JSA the man was over one hundred years old and here he was, dumb enough to keep fighting her.

"Guess I should find STRIPE and try not to blow up Mike's toy this time," Stargirl advised herself.

* * *

Mike Dugan was getting annoyed. Of course, Baroness Blood's steel tipped whip wasn't actually striking him but she was chinking of pieces of the STRIPE unit's armor. Mike himself was still located in his command pod located at the K-Star Ranch. And at the moment, he had STRIPE's audio pickup disabled so he could confer with the JSA's AI, Roxy.

"This is stupid at best," Mike told an avatar of Roxy's.

"So explain it to her," Roxy was tapped into the feed being received by the command pod.

"Damn straight I will," Mike's words were laced with frustration.

STRIPE amplified Mike's voice, ":You aren't hurting anything. Stand down before I put you down."

"Coward!" Baroness Blood spat, "Come out of your metal shell if you dare."

"This is a mechanized unit," Mike explained via STRIPE, "All I have aboard are weapons packages."

STRIPE's gun and missile ports opened and several released, "Get my meaning?"

" _Mein Gott_!" Baroness Blood exclaimed.

"Here's a taste, sweetie," STRIPE's concussion blaster fired several volleys. Baroness Blood was knocked out by the kinetic equivalent of a bowling ball to the head, "Stee-rike!"

Power Girl joined Stargirl in a landing beside STRIPE.

"Good job, Mike," Power Girl congratulated him.

"Not bad for a weenie," Stargirl teased her stepbrother.

Black Mary alighted next to them, "Who's the blonde bimbo?"

"Hey! Take it easy on us blondes," Stargirl protested. Even Power Girl looked mildly annoyed.

"It wasn't aimed at you two," Black Mary defended herself.

"But it should've been," STRIPE stated.

"You want me to blow you up again?" Stargirl asked.

"Um…no," STRIPE said meekly, "But Roxy is chewing my ear off about the cops."

Several squad cars pulled up and officers got out and aimed weapons at them.

"Well, this is fun," Stargirl groused.

"Put you hands in the air and prepare to be arrested," the ranking office told them, "Don't resist."

"You haven't seen us resist yet," Power Girl angrily replied.

"And especially don't look at this," Stargirl's Cosmic Rod strobe flashed their eyes and the foursome flew off.

"What the hell was that all about?" Black Mary asked.

"Roxy says the NYPD has received orders from the police commissioner to arrest everyone. But she also admits the NYPD is releasing the Nazis and detaining anyone remotely connected to the JLU," STRIPE explained

"Great, now we're fugitives even at home," Stargirl grumped.

"So what do we do?" Black Mary asked.

"We get some advice from people that have already gone through this mockery of justice before," Power Girl diverted and set course for the K-Star Ranch, "We need to talk with the Justice Society."

"Cool! I need to talk with Cassie and M'gann anyway," Stargirl enthused.

"Arrowette dropped by too," STRIPE informed her, "Conner and Cassie are putting together a new group to be called Young Justice."

"Their teachers are allowing it?" Power Girl asked.

"It'll be a training unit," STRIPE informed her, "The JSA will monitor and supervise their activities."

And everyone recalled Mike had been in a military academy before running away to be with father and his new family.

* * *

The former members of the Justice League Antarctica also fought Nazi adherents and collaborators. Some despite their own pasts. Killer Frost found herself confronting Hachiman and Firebug. And momentarily she couldn't remember why. The petty crooks the two threatened didn't mean anything to her.

Sure the twentysomething pretending to still be a teenager looked rather yummy in a school girl uniform kind of way but as Hachiman's energy sword sliced its way through ice barrier after ice barrier, Killer Frost was tempted to let the thieves take their lumps.

But Godiva had seen through her veneer. Dorcas Leigh had seen Louise Lincoln and fallen in love with her. And frankly, Killer Frost wasn't sure the sex could ever be beaten. That inspired Killer Frost to redouble her efforts.

Instead of focusing on worthless barriers, she froze the sword's handle. Hachiman had to drop it to avoid frostbite. And out of his grip, the blade was no longer energized. A rather Lashina turn of events. So she froze over the sword itself. Killer Frost intensified the cold to hundreds of degrees below zero and the steel making up the blade cracked and shattered.

"Oops," Killer Frost pretended to be sorry.

Hachiman looked as enraged as he felt.

"You're going to stroke out," Killer Friost advised him, "Lemme help you with that."

And she created a cylindrical prison made of ice.

"Now that chump change is out of the way," Firebug ignited his flamethrower. Killer Frost rolled her eyes at the Firefly wannabe.

Firebug turned the flamethrower on Hachiman's prison. Killer Frost wondered just how stupid he was, "You'll fry him."

"He'll live and he'll blame you," Firebug promised.

So that's how stupid he really was. Killer Frost froze the fuel tank on Firebug's back until cracked and leaked gasoline. Sparks hit the fuel and ignited it.

"What the hell?" Firebug furiously put himself out and then glared at her, "You!"

"Me!" Killer Frost riposted.

He shrugged off his ruptured fuel tank and pulled the fire axe out of the harness on his back. She froze his feet in a block of ice and the blade of the axe as well. When he attempted to shatter the ice with the axe, the blade shattered.

"Y'know, this Justice League shit is hard work but being creative keeps it amusing," Killer Frost patted Firebug's rebreather mask.

* * *

Baron Blitzkrieg developed super strength, speed, and the ability to fly because of his unlocked psionic powers. His great-granddaughter had only mastered speed. But under his tutelage she was developing enhanced strength. So when Lady Flash confronted her, she wasn't worried about the struggle to come.

Unlike him, Baroness Blitzkrieg couldn't blend the powers together. She was either all speed or she was super strong. But her endurance had doubled since her last defeat at the hands of the Flash and the Justice Society. She'd heard of Lady Flash but she knew Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova as a Russian agent not a costumed superhero.

The Blitzkrieg estate had hired one of the greatest private intelligence firms in the word. And the Global Concern typically kept the baron updated concerning meta-human developments. Christina had been a member of Blue Trinity under Putin. When term limits forced Putin to step down as president, Medvedev had traded roles with him. Now Medvedev was president and Putin was prime minister. And Col. Molotova had killed the rogue members of Blue Trinity rather than bring them in for experimentation.

Putin wanted Christina's head and he was rarely denied. But Medvedev defied his mentor on this one issue. Christina came to America and eventually became known as Lady Flash. And she'd seemingly been a villain with the Injustice League but seemed to be opposing Degaton's forces here. Which meant she opposed Baroness Blitzkrieg.

The question she had was Putin undoubtedly knew Christina was Lady Flash. So why had he acquiesced to Medvedev's position on this matter? Putin would undoubtedly win the next two terms as president before having to stand down again. But Medvedev seemed chosen to replace him when he grew too infirm to effectively rule Russia.

Was Medvedev's defiance being rewarded? The Duma had reversed political roles and now the prime minister was the more powerful of the two. And when Putin was reelected, the presidency would assume the senior role again.

Baroness Blitzkrieg recalled what basic information the Global Concern had delivered on post-Russia Christina Molotova. She was a Velocity 9 junkie but her electrostatic charge building was red rather than a Velocity 9 derived blue. And Lady Flash was pacing her but a Velocity 9 user could have easily caught Baroness Blitzkrieg. Especially one chemically endowed to tap the Speed Force.

Of course, Lady Flash wasn't as fast as Jessie Quick. Nor the elder Flash. And certainly not the younger Flash. She was barely as fast as Baroness Blitzkrieg herself. So what were her endurance limits? That was the question Baroness Blitzkrieg intended to find out.

They covered every street and highway in and out of New York City. Traversing north to Metropolis and south to Gotham City, they ran until it seemed neither one of them could run any further. But Baroness Blitzkrieg still had a surprise in mind as she channeled all of her remaining mental energy into her muscles.

"Now you die," she advised Lady Flash.

And Lady Flash respond with a high speed phoenix punch to the throat, moving even faster than Baroness Blitzkrieg's enhanced perception could track.

"Urk!" Baroness Blitzkrieg gasped for air and struggled to breathe through her closing throat.

"And I could have caught you at the very beginning but I wanted to wear you out so we could have this precious moment," Lady Flash advised her.

And Baroness Blitzkrieg finally recognized the ruthlessness that allowed Christina to kill her fellow Blue Trinity teammates.

* * *

Valentina Vostok was alarmed as Captain Nippon tore through every barrier and obstacle she materialized to fend off the Japanese warrior. Finally she dropped a series of increasingly large and dense anvils on his head. The last one was bigger than a metro line bus. And he finally stopped twitching much less resisting.

Valentina converted everything back to the nitrogen she'd drawn from. Then she applied her physicist brain to devise restraints Captain Nippon couldn't break out of. Afterwards she flew away still reveling in the fact she could fly now.

* * *

Despite Red Death's gas obviously affecting mammalian life, Insect Queen betted that it wouldn't harm insects. So first she summoned swarms of ants. Followed by cockroaches. Next came the flies. And finally, an army of spiders assembled itself and crawled all over him liberally applying their venomous bites if they had any.

Red Death screamed as her friends covered him. A few tragically died entering his mouth as he screamed. Insect Queen promised herself to honor their sacrifice later on. Insect Queen briefly wished she had Tefe Holland's powers over fauna. A million rats thrown into the mix would change Red Death's perspective.

Red Death continued screaming as he ran into the NYPD's embrace. She called everyone off and let the police deal with Red Death. But despite his murders, Red Death was escorted back to the Hall of National Socialism. But the officers who took him away ignored Insect Queen's presence and "forgot" to mention her in their official reports later that day.

* * *

Tefe could control both plants and animals. So after dodging Iron Fist's metal hand a few times, Tefe decided to call in reinforcements. She was downtown in the Bronx so her plant life options were severely limited. But she got the spring blooms to pollinate like mad causing Iron Fist's eyes to water and nose to run.

Then she called in rats from the sewers. Thousands of rats in a furry and a living wave that swarmed over Iron Fist. And then pigeons came in and pecked at Iron Fist before defecating on him. Iron Fist fled back to the Hall formerly of Justice. He was observed by rats and birds alike. Door mice informed her of his entrance into the hall.

Tefe thanked her newfound friends and protectors. Then she set out to follow Iron Fist's path. Rats flanked her as an escort even as a cloud of birds sheltered her from above. Sea gulls flew in to join the overwatch. And Tefe wondered if her so-called "team" would reunite.

* * *

Silver Sorceress quickly realized that Faye Morgana was a barely adequate enchantress. But her telekinesis formed the bulk of her "magic" and it was second to none. So Faye slammed Silver Sorceress around while throwing every conceivable kind of object at her. Once Faye had battered Silver Sorceress into near unconsciousness, she used her primary magical ability and used illusions to escape scrutiny and vanished.

Silver Sorceress managed a healing spell before picking up Faye's trail. But more was damaged than Silver Sorceress' pride. So Faye managed to complete her journey before her opponent could attempt to stop her.

* * *

Blue Jay managed to dodge a quarrel fired off by Crossbow. And then he dodged another. And another before resuming his human stature and pulling Crossbow's namesake weapon out of his hands and clubbing the Nazi over the head with it several times.

Then Blue Jay flew over to where Silver Sorceress had been left by Faye Morgana and he stood vigil over her while she healed. When that process concluded they found themselves being detained by the NYPD. A fact which neither of them found amusing.

But they went along with the farce only to discover their fellow JLA teammates were also rounded up along with the JLers. Everyone was crammed into the same cells regardless of affiliation. But the Nazis had been released and it seemed that Barda and Wonder Woman were missing from the party. A development which heartened the JLers but went unnoticed by the JLAers.

* * *

The Web Agents dealt with the Neo Nazi Korpsmen. Buster dealt with Scarlet Skull and Rubberman as Rubberman played at being Scarlet Skull's bodyguard. Buster's great-grandfather had served in WWII and helped liberate a Nazi death camp.

He'd described the conditions to her including the health, or utter lack thereof, of the Jews interned there. So Buster had a great deal of antipathy for Nazis or their ilk. Degaton might not be planning to build extermination camps but then again he might. Buster wasn't about to let anyone foster the idea if she could beast it out of them.

Buster ejected the spent clip of rubber bullets. They hadn't worked against Rubberman anyway. Scarlet Skull had been pelted though. He was struggling just to breathe much less function. Buster recalled the information the FBI and the CIA had briefed the Web Agents on Scarlet Skull and his followers. Scarlet Skull was a Nihilist.

He believed that once a social or political system began to fail the only recourse was to collapse and/or destroy the system and began again with a new untested system or structure. So in many ways, Scarlet Skull espoused a form of anarchy. But unlike Anarky, he didn't wish the world to remain locked in an chaotic state but wanted the strongest man available to rule. And Scarlet Skull had apparently chosen Degaton to be that ruler.

Buster began to retreat as Rubberman marched on her. She attached limpet mines to a car door as she passed by it. Remotely detonating the bombs she was rewarded with a scream from Rubberman. Apparently his rubberized skin could be torn, perforated or burnt. And the limpet mines had done all of the above. He began his retreat away from Buster.

"No, you fool! Stand our ground," Scarlet Skull admonished him. The Skull required a van to lean against but he was on his feet again.

Buster attached a round ball to the end of her rifle. Firing it, the muzzle flash ignited the launch sequence. The ball roared to life and it separated into twin halves. A net with weighted bolo balls on it wrapped around Scarlet Skull as he attempted to take aim at Buster. Rubberman fled while Scarlet Skull was knocked to the ground by the weight of the net and its lead balls.

"Y'know, you look like a comic book villain from a series that's been going since World War 2. He was Nazi too," Buster remarked.

"Go to hell," Scarlet Skull growled.

As the NYPD arrived Buster got into an argument about jurisdiction. Since he'd attacked a federal agent, Buster argued that made him a federal prisoner. DA Elizabeth "Betty" Bates agreed but the mayor was looking at opinion polls and Degaton was riding a crest of popularity amongst voters and the mayor was looking at a difficult reelection. So riding Degaton's coattails looked like an easy win.

Buster reported in to Gen. Latham and he vowed to throw everything at the city of New York. Especially since he had the District Attorney on his side. In many more ways then Latham could have predicted. Betty Bates moonlighted as a masked vigilante much in the way Kate Spencer had as Manhunter. But the mayor was blocking her at every turn.

* * *

Silver didn't waste any time taking down Sinhart. She was fast, efficient, and decidedly brutal. Sinhart lay face down on the concrete with his arm twisted in an unnatural bend.

"Darlin', can't we talk `bout this?" he asked.

"Sure," she twisted his arm out of socket and he screamed.

"Keep singing sunshine. You have three more ball and socket joints," Silver advised him.

* * *

Condor rarely worked alone. Sinhart was his usual partner and Scarlet Skull was the mastermind who planned their moves for them. So confronted by an enraged Wild Bill, he simply surrendered.

"You pussy," Wild Bill snorted as he handcuffed Condor. But the NYPD released him and even drove him back to the Hall of misappropriated National Socialism. Afterwards federal prosecutors handed indictments against the mayor and police commissioner for the NYPD asserting jurisdiction over federal prisoners at gunpoint.

* * *

Fritz von Straff may have touted himself as the new Blue Beetle but the scarab wasn't fully manifesting it power in von Straff, Rowdy watched as Blue Beetle bounced all around in an acrobatic procession of maneuvers that actually impressed the Web Agent. He even had to dodge two aerial attacks.

Finally he drew his sidearm and shot Blue Beetle in his bulletproofed chainmail. That knocked Blue Beetle down. He rose again to threaten Rowdy. But a second bullet above the bridge of his nose impacted the chainmail where it came to affix to his goggles. Blue Beetle was still out cold when the NYPD arrived and forcibly removed the prisoner.

Rowdy almost shot them for taking his hard won prisoner. Especially after overhearing two of the uniformed officers discussing the fact every Nazi collected by the city that day was being driven to, and released at , the Justice League's former headquarters at the mayor's insistence. No murder charges were being files.

* * *

Rad mentally summarized what he'd learned about Brick Bat thus far. The man wasn't overly skilled, just overly annoying. But he wore body armor everywhere…including his head despite the ridiculously large bat ears protruding from it. But Rad had spotted a deficiency in Brick Bat's armored array.

He simply shot the man's foot. And despite a plate of Kevlar strapped to the tongue of his boot, the bullet punctured it and broke Brick Bat's toes.

"I give up!" he shrieked. Rad clubbed him in the head with his rifle butt anyway. Just in time for the NYPD to arrive to "rescue" him from police brutality.

* * *

Panther had developed a cat-like form of Kung Fu. Jump relied on two truncheons. After several engagements, Panther was limping and his forearms and shins were bruising.

"Want more?" Jump asked as he resumed his ready stance.

"You'll never hold me," Panther promised.

"Let's wait and see," Jump retorted.

But the NYPD came and screwed the deal.

* * *

Brew rounded Porcupine without nearing the man's quills. And he found Porcupine could throw some of them. So he lobbed a concussion grenade to either side of the spiky foe. The blast knocked most the Porcupine's quills off and rendered him unconscious. The NYPD congratulated him on rendering Porcupine touchable and then hauled him off only to free him.

* * *

Red Knight joined Death Mask in facing down Gunny. He put down Death Mask rather quickly but Red Knight's armor made him a tougher opponent. Tough enough that Gunny inserted a rocket grenade into his rifle barrel and shot it at Red Knight's feet. The resultant explosion tore armor off of Red Knight.

Gunny checked the fallen man's vitals to insure he'd live. Gratified that he would he then faced the harsh reality of his prisoner being taken away.

The sergeant accompanying the patrolmen offered some advice, "You didn't have anywhere to hold him anyway besides a standing agreement with Stryker's Island. And we'd pull jurisdiction there anyway."

As the NYPD departed, four hover bike riders approached on Web Agency hover bikes. He had to ask, "Who are you supposed to be anyways?"

"I'm Easy Rider and we're the Posse," the self appointed leader announced.

"Right," Gunny deadpanned rather than laugh or argue.

* * *

Vicenhammer was the last member of the Korps and he swung his massive sledge one handed. The other hand was a mechanized vise. Big Daddy was kept off balance and the oldest Web field agent was running on empty. Big Daddy openly stared as Easy Rider, Pinata, Italian Ice, and French Fry circled Vicenhammer.

Using the bikes' ability to flip through the air and be rotated to a cushioned landing, each Posse member did so and targeted Vicenhammer with the on board tasers. He was put down in seconds.

Gunny joined Big Daddy, "You know we have to take the bikes away. They're two to three years away from a Learner's Permit."

"They got it done when we were faltering," Big Daddy argued on the Posse's behalf.

"They're just kids," Gunny retorted.

"And they stole the bikes," Wild Bill joined the discussion.

"Every gang in New York will want them to join," Big Daddy argued.

"More reason to end it now," Silver said as she approached.

"Hell, they'd make the perfect undercover agents," Rad offered to the discussion.

"And judging by the hurried whispers in their camp, they like the idea," Rowdy shared.

"I'm for it," Jump offered.

"I'll run it by Latham," Buster offered, "Meanwhile gather them up and the bikes back at our equipment depot. But whatever Latham decides, we also need to get the parents' permission."

"Add a gratuity and most of their parents in these neighborhoods will agree," Silver stated.

"Noted," Buster watched as Big Daddy explained what would happen next to the Posse.

* * *

Shieldmaster and Flag Bearer led Marvel, the younger Web, Captain Flag, and even Yank to their motel rooms. Web was incredulous, "No one notices you in costume?"

"There's a comic con going on," Flag Bearer grinned.

"My neighbors just thought I worked a niche restaurant," Jane Raymond explained.

Shieldmaster sat his shield on the bed and unmasked to be Dusty Madigan again. Denise did the same. Web joined them. Captain Flag and Marvel didn't budge.

"Join the revolution, guys," Jane chided them.

"The Marvel has never been unmasked and Captain Flag undoubtedly has his own reasons," Dusty offered.

"Yeah, they're stink weeds," Denise complained.

"So how did you get to be a Web?" Dusty asked Jane.

"My uncle is the original Web. I stole the moniker `cause my parents were dead and I thought he was too much of a dick to care," Jane explained, "Turns out out he never knew I was alive because of the shit Grams pulled."

Marvel audibly groaned.

"So is he an Asian in disguise?" Denise asked.

"Korean," Jane corrected her, "And no, he and dad were whitebread through and through."

"So why have you tracked us down?" Dusty inquired.

"You were the original Shield's sidekick. Your shield was forged out of the same material as his armor. When he vanished you retired despite coming of age. Now you're back in action and interested parties want to know why," Captain Flag informed him.

Dusty frowned, "You're well informed."

"You also know the current Shield," Marvel added.

Denise blushed, "Um…yeah. So?"

Jane realized the Shield legacy affected both father and daughter. And Denise was undeniably attracted to Joe Higgins.

"How do you know any of this?" Dusty was neutral.

"The government has observed you for two decades waiting to see if the original Shield would contact you," Marvel informed them, "In fact, the new MLJ Initiative agency sent us here today."

"The MLJ runs the Mighty Crusaders the way the DoD ran the American Crusaders," Dusty realized, "That's why you're here. To recruit us to the Mighty Crusaders. Sorry, not interested."

"Dad!" Denise hissed at him.

"Yes and no," Captain Flag corrected Dusty's assumption, "The MLJ sent us to recruit you but to a third branch of the MLJ. A unit tasked with accomplishing necessary outcomes deemed too small to send the Mighty Crusaders to accomplish them. We also act as a reserve unity to assist the Mighty Crusaders should they be overwhelmed by a situation or foe."

"We could help Joe," Denise practically implored her father.

"It's never that simple," Dusty warned her.

Jane surveyed the fact Denise was knee deep in smit over Joe Higgins.

"You know Joe will need our help and we can still tackle bad guys just our size," Denise turned to Marvel, "Otherwise he wouldn't be here."

"Denise has a crush on Joe Higgins," Dusty sighed.

"We hadn't noticed," Jane said dryly, "Really."

"She's the reason you're back in uniform,' Captain Flag finally reasoned it out.

"I'm trying to keep her from getting killed," Dusty admitted.

"Then join. She'll have an entire team watching her back for her," Captain Flag made the pitch again.

Jane found it curious the Marvel was staying largely silent.

"I'll tell you why I joined," Marvel broke that silence, "I get complete access to the MLJ's resources and complete autonomy. I'm only here because I agreed to be here. The MLJ had no power to coerce me into any action I deem unnecessary."

"Ditto," Captain Flag admitted.

"I joined to keep doing this costume thing without my uncle building an island prison somewhere to keep me off the street," Jane confessed.

"Could he really do that?" Denise was surprised.

"He's an effin' billionaire with the bank roll to prove it. He makes his own rules or buys off the rule makers," Jane huffed.

Captain Flag face palmed.

"No, she's right," Marvel counseled him, "John Raymond his been a societal maverick since coming into his inheritance."

"Which I'll remind you stiffed my dad," Jane grated.

"Oh, my effin' God! You're that Raymond family," Denise could hear her father admonishing her language.

"Yup, surprise," Jane replied, "I know I was."

"Dad, we have to do this," Denise pleaded with him, "Remember what it was that made you the 'Boy Detective' and you followed the Shield to hell and back."

"Who was secretly Roger Higgins, Joe's uncle," Marvel added.

"You never told me that!" Denise swatted Dusty's arm.

"I never told anyone," Dusty stared at Marvel. Denise had come to Dusty already wearing a costume and branding a flag pole cut into a bo staff. And she simply told him her plans to travel the country and do good where she could. Which completely sounded like he did when he left home to find the Shield and become his partner.

Denise was far too much like her father to let her run around unaccompanied. But unlike Dusty, Denise wanted to settle down and bed Joe and begin a lifelong romance with him. Something that would be extremely difficult for Joe to do regardless of how strongly he wanted to. _If_ he even wanted to.

Of course, Denise's motives went far beyond merely impressing the Shield. If it were that simple he could quench her desire. He had before when she was in the "bad boy" phase and brought home boys he disapproved of. And his invariably being proven right had earned him her confidence. But Denise wanted to make a difference in people's lives. It wasn't ego but he'd spent her entire life training her to be a superhero in the name of defense.

And he'd reared her on stories of the Shield of America and Dusty the Boy Detective. So in a very real sense he'd created Flag Bearer and now he was trying to stop her from blossoming. Dusty decided then he wouldn't deprive Denise of her dream or her chance to fulfill it. But he would stick around to help her from making mistakes he had and they'd cost him dearly.

"Okay, we'll sign up," Dusty agreed. Denise threw her arms around him, "This group got a name?"

"The Shadow Crusaders," Captain Flag said, "You may want to settle up with the front desk and pack up as well. Afterwards, you'll need to be masked again."

Denise packed while Dusty checked out. He called the car rental agency and reminded them he'd paid extra to leave the car anywhere and they'd pick it up. After locking the keys inside the vehicle and he masked up and retrieved his shield and his suitcase.

"So what happens next?" Shieldmaster inquired.

"Now we try not to puke," Web told him.

Captain Flag reentered carrying Yank on his arm, "Web, do the honors."

"MLJ, lock on and teleport all life signs." Web hoped she sounded poised.

"Teleport?" Flag Bearer asked.

"Also known as the Vomit Comet," Web told her a split second before the teleporter grabbed them.

* * *

Domino's "game" continued spread across Manhattan. The Mighty Crusaders had teleported into Times Square but were now spreading across the island. They had no idea Domino was directing the members of the Evil Brain Trust dispatched by the Global Concern on Brain Emperor's behalf.

Local assets had deployed quadcopter drones fitted with cameras and Domino directed the vantage points to enable her to see every conflict no matter where it had spread to. And the sheer number of drones allowed Domino to obtain multiple vantage points.

Bluetooth technology paired with satellite receiver gave Domino the ability to be in each contestant's ear and in their brains in a manner of speaking. Some, like the Eliminators were resistant. Others were far more complaint as Domino waged her game of gladiatorial chess against unwitting pawns. But taking the chess analogy further, she wanted a chance to strike out at Jack Latham, the general who served as MLJ Director.

* * *

Shield led Mighty Man to the pump house in Central Park. They'd been candidates for the Shield program together in the CRUCIBLE Project. But like so many, too many really, candidates washed out of the Shield selection, Mighty Man had received experimental treatments to transform him into a potential; super soldier. But like Mann-X, Maxx-13, American Shield and others, Mighty Man had gone rogue.

The only fortunate part of the sad affair was that the exit made by the renegades had crippled CRUCIBLE's operations. The development records of the nanite technology that had transformed Lt. turned Sgt. restored to Lt. and promoted to Capt. Joe Higgins had also been utterly destroyed. Much to Brain Emperor's dismay. And Joe's own father had been the developer building off of Claire Connelly's work before she disappeared beside her husband, Booster Gold.

Joe's dad ended up inside a tesseract dimensional portal and guarded the United States' greatest secrets. Much to the chagrin of Joe's uncle, Gen. Marian Higgins. Gen. Higgins had created the so called massacre Joe had been blamed for and busted back to sergeant. A rank the officer had never held. But Higgins sought to use the episode to control the Shield and the project called for enhancing an enlisted man in order to produce a more compliant soldier.

But Latham inherited the Shield as soon as the CRUCIBLE Project's work succeeded. But Gen. Higgins continually interfered and tried to manipulate Joe against Latham. A move which nearly cost Higgins his career and he was sidelined after the CRUCIBLE fiasco. Higgins subsequently vanished and rumors told a story of Higgins aligning himself with both Gen. Sam Lane and the Global Concern.

But none of that was on the Shield's mind as he faced Mighty Man. Domino had wondered why Shield led Mighty Man across town to a park. Not any park but _the_ park. Her curiosity grew and Shield stripped the electrical conduits bare. She thought Shield meant to trick Mighty Man into the water and use the electrical mains to zap Mighty Man.

And she told him as much. So Mighty Man edged away from the water and prepared to attack Shield safely on dry land. He moved swiftly and held Shield's hand that gripped the electrical mains so that it wouldn't make contact with him. But both Mighty Man and Domino wondered why Shield grinned.

"Gotcha," Shield said as he placed his other hand on Mighty Man's forehead. And then Shield's armor was liberated from containing the charge building in its riot control stunner. Central Park's power grid amplified the usual jolt and Mighty Man screamed but the electrical circuit formed between him and Shield made it so he couldn't break away. Not until he passed out and Shield interrupted the power surge.

Park visitors had gathered to see what the awful commotion was about. But seeing Shield and his patriotic regalia they recognized him as a Mighty Crusader. Cheers met Shield as he laid Mighty Man out and pulled the electrical cables free to wrap Mighty Man in them. Shield estimated there was enough copper in them to insure Mighty Man couldn't break free.

Domino was stunned by Shield's ingenuity. And now realized why Joe Higgins had succeeded where so many other candidates had failed. She appreciated the challenges he would provide.

* * *

Black Hood approached a working skyscraper that was occupied while the final five upper floors were nearing completion. But he happily discovered the service elevator rose to the roof itself. Chromium followed and learned the passenger cars were programmed to stop six floors from the roof. So he had to waste further time getting the freight elevator to his location and then explored each floor at a time until he arrived on the roof.

Chromium began to wonder just what was Black Hood's strategy. The five lower floors were primed for ambushes. Yet the masked hero didn't engage him. And judging by the complete lack of footprints in the ever present dust, he'd never been to any of them.

But the roof was completed and except for a helipad and a crane, it was also seemingly deserted. And then the crane came to life and swung its hook at Chromium. Which he easily dodged but was left wondering when he reach the control cab just what Black Hood was playing at.

Looking about, Chromium realized the fire hose had been played out. At that point he had to wonder if Black Hood was reliving some twisted _Die Hard_ fantasy. He thought he'd play along as Domino's quadcopters reached the roof. He looked over the edge to find a loose hose but no body attached to it. And the glass seemed intact beneath him. And then he heard it.

Black Hood chambered his shotgun, "Miss me, Guppy?"

"Was that supposed to be clever?" Chromium asked.

"Nope, just distracting," Black Hood had apparently advanced as far as he was willing to. And he fired. Chromium expected to be annoyed by buckshot pellets when a solid lead core hit him like a freight train. Chromium nearly went backwards over the railing. And then he realized what was going to happen.

Black Hood fired another sabot round before Chromium could react. And then he unleashed another 20 gauge bullet into Chromium's chest. Chromium was barely holding on when the fourth sabot round struck him and he teetered over the edge. It took all six of Black Hood's sabots but he knocked Chromium over the edge and off on what was supposed to be a thirty story drop.

But he heard a _clack_ as the hose went taut and Chromium bounced off the windows six floors down. Black Hood simply primed and lobbed a grenade under the hose spool. The explosion lifted the spool off of its restraining bolts and it sailed over the side, taking Chromium with it as it plunged to the street below.

Black Hood reloaded his shotgun and began picking off quadcopters. Then he rode the freight car to the street level and expected to find a splatter where Chromium had impacted the sidewalk. Instead, Chromium was alive but was unconscious to the point of nearly being comatose. Black Hood decided to watch over him until the NYPD arrived. He could always blast Chromium in the face with buckshot if he had to.

* * *

Pow-Girl pulled Magnetic Monster away from the Web. And she pummeled him to the point he could no longer restrain Web and could barely defend himself. Web's action suit rebooted itself and he used a monofilament net to snare Magnetic Monster and used a single line to choke him into unconsciousness. Then Web unloaded on Pow-Girl.

"Rosie, I swear to God if you're following me around…" Web snarled.

"You'll what? Annul our marriage again?" Pow-Girl snorted, "That didn't work so well for you the last time you tried."

"What do you mean 'didn't work'?" Web wanted to know.

"What was my crime anyway?" Pow-Girl asked, "I fell in love with you and everything was beautiful until we went to the courthouse so I could change my last name to 'Raymond'."

Pow-Girl recalled, "The next day, your lawyer served me annulment papers. You didn't even have the balls to do it yourself."

"I didn't want my mother to have a go at you," Web said quietly.

"So? What you did hurt far worse than anything she or any super villain could throw at me," Pow-Girl explained.

"And you still love me?" Web was confused.

"God knows I've tried not to," Pow-Girl huffed.

"So maybe we could try again," Web offered, "I promise I won't be an asshole next time."

"You care to rephrase that?" Pow-Girl asked him.

"An asshole as _often_ next time," Web rephrased, "And I promise the real deal this time if we get married again."

"No Vegas quickie?" Pow-Girl smirked, "And you needn't bother. I won't marry you again."

Web was crestfallen, "Maybe we could decide that later on."

"No, you dope. We're still married," Pow-Girl told him.

"What?" Web yelped.

"In your rush to push your legal team into a fast annulment, they made several mistakes. Mistakes I used in court to get the annulment tossed out," Pow-Girl explained, "In short, we're still legally married."

"So, you never told me," Web was hurt.

"We weren't on speaking terms," Pow-Girl said crossly.

"And you never asked for support of any kind," Web realized something profound.

"Would I have gotten any?" Pow-Girl was exasperated, "I never wanted your money. Just you."

"I have plenty of room. Maybe you could move in with me while we sort this out. Separate rooms I promise," Web offered.

"I'm actually in between living spaces," Pow-Girl mulled it over.

"It'll give us a chance to work things out while we decide how to approach the whole marriage thing," Web decided.

"You sound relieved that we're still married," Pow-Girl was surprised.

"I am actually," Web told her, "But my mother is a piece of work."

"So am I when I'm so inclined," Pow-Girl warned him.

"I remember. It's what first attracted me," Web admitted.

"John, don't infer you're attracted to someone because they're like your hell beast of a mother," Pow-Girl advised him.

"I didn't!" Web protested.

"You'll need my number," Pow-Girl informed him.

He activated a holographic virtual keyboard and screen from his left wrist and went to work, "Got it."

"I hate you," Pow-Girl sighed.

"I know. We can build on that too," Web promised, "Jane will freak out about this."

"Your conquest of the week?" Pow-Girl asked archly.

"My niece," Web clarified, "She's moving in as well."

"Aren't you getting domestic?" Pow-Girl teased, "What happened to Johnny Raymond, playboy without a soul?"

"He's growing up," Web assured her.

"And totally Oh. My. God. David had a daughter?" Pow-Girl exclaimed.

"I know. I felt the same way. Elaine never told me. Gen. Latham had to," Web was angry.

"What's the MLJ's interest?" Pow-Girl asked.

"She's a costume," Web told her, "Goes by 'the Web'. Apparently that was her clue for me to find her."

"So, she's changing it?" Pow-Girl wondered.

"Nope. I think she wants to shine me on with it," Web sighed.

"You could use more of that in your life," Pow-Girl grinned.

"And of course, you have reason to think so," Web deflated.

"What's with all the effin' quadcopters?" Pow-Girl asked.

Web traced their transmissions to the source. Then he started blowing them apart. Pow-Girl looked concerned.

"Personal issues?" she asked him.

"Global Concern issues," Web clarified, "And if they're involved, it means Brain Emperor is likely to have hired them to investigate us."

"And by observation, they'll deduce there might be an us," Pow-Girl understood.

"Might be?" Web asked.

"Might be," Pow-Girl said sternly.

* * *

Cat-Girl tagged Invisible Terror's side with her claws as Jaguar reeled from another punch. Then Jaguar's enhanced senses began to work. Her eyes spotted the dripping blood and the naked flesh exposed by Cat-Girl's strike. And the scent of that blood made Jaguar go wild.

Cat-Girl intercepted her and restrained Jaguar while Invisible Terror fled the scene, "You. Have. To. Fight. It," Cat-Girl strained through gritted teeth.

Slowly Jaguar backed down and Cat-Girl eased a sigh of relief, "You're stronger than you look."

"You stopped me from killing that man," Jaguar realized.

"Yeah, where's the fun in that?" Cat-Girl asked, "But the prison sex could be exciting."

"How can I thank you?" Jaguar ignored Cat-Girl's sex comment.

Cat-Girl cupped Jaguar's face with her hands and kissed her. Jaguar hated that she responded with enthusiasm. Her mind waged war with the animal spirit within her and she ended the kiss.

"That's a down payment," Cat-Girl gleefully informed her.

"Um…I won't ever be what you expect me to become," Jaguar warned Cat-Girl.

"Maybe not Maria de Guzman but the Jaguar will be. It always is. Just like I'm a host to an animal spirit that wants to be with the Jaguar. Lydia Fellin and Maria are just along for the ride," Cat-Girl explained in greater detail than ever before, "Having two female hosts means we can impregnate each other and rear the future hosts destined to bear the legacy of the Jaguar spirit and the Cat spirit."

"We'll see," Jaguar said defiantly.

"Yes, we will," Cat-Girl happily replied, "Because it happens every time there's two female hosts."

Cat-Girl looked around, "Now, do you want to help me kill all of the copter thingies?"

Jaguar looked forward to the vertical form of exercise. Not the horizontal kind Cat-Girl desperately craved. The Cat spirit only indwelt human females but the Jaguar wasn't so inclined. It selected hosts of both sexes. And had been doing so from the de Guzman family tree for centuries. Maria's aunt was the previous hostess and had passed on the spirit upon her death.

Unfortunately, Maria had been so frightened by watching her aunt in action she never gave her the opportunity to pass on any advice. Or warn her about a Cat-Girl come a-calling. But if Cat-Girl was right, then Maria's aunt bore the spirit its future host from a sexual encounter with a Cat-Girl. And Lydia would have been an offspring as well not a selected candidate. So why was Maria the host and not her aunt's unknown offspring?

There was so much information lost when Maria's aunt died that Maria needed to know. And she needed to know to deal with a Cat-Girl's amorous advances. And Maria needed to know Lydia's story. So it seemed Maria needed to take up Lydia's offer and spend an afternoon or more with her.

* * *

War Eagle flew an evasive pattern to dodge girders and rebar hurled at her by Lodestone. And she scooped up chunks of concrete to throw back at the magnetic villain. Ellis Island had plenty of all of the above. The Eliminator had previously fought Steel Sterling back when Jack Sterling still externally expressed his magnetic powers. Steel Sterling had reported the Eliminator's powers were equal to his own.

War Eagle's rubble based attacks were merely meant for Lodestone to wear himself down. As his reflexes slowed and his magnetically suspended weapons sagged, War Eagle dove at Lodestone and nearly gutted him with her talons.

Lodestone's panic subconsciously directed his next action and he built a cage around War Eagle by impaling girders into the ground. Seeing a way to torture her by denying her the sky and food and water besides, Lodestone left Ellis Island. War Eagle's greater than human strength enabled to eventually push over three girders. Which enabled her to squeeze past without harming her wings. But even her phenomenal eyesight couldn't spot Lodestone.

* * *

"Halt!" Queen of Diamonds ordered Radiation Rogue.

"You want a taste? Fine," he leveled his rad blaster at her and fired a dose instantly lethal to humans.

And Queen of Diamonds didn't twitch. Which unnerved him. And then Queen of Diamonds took aim at him and fired cubic zirconium bullets at him. Bullets which penetrated his hazmat suit and him along with it.

Radiation Rogue fled the scene and Queen of Diamonds shifted her attention to the sky above. Rogue Star and Comet had forgone trying to burn one another out. Instead they broke into an old fashioned fist fight with aerial acrobatics included. Rob Conners was in extraordinary shape as befitted a professional baseball player. But he'd never actually been in a fight before so Rogue Star held the advantage.

Until zirconium bullets flew his way. Rogue Star then retreated to join the other Eliminators. Comet landed next to her, "Thanks."

"He's leaking," Queen of Diamonds indicated the stymied Radiation Rogue, "We're immune but the gathering crowd isn't"

"On it," Comet approached him and drained him of radiation. Radiation Rogue fell over and Comet touched his exposed skin which happened to be a bullet wound, "He's cold and clammy. Do you think he's dying?"

"I doubt it," Queen of Diamonds said diffidently, "We'd never be so fortunate."

Comet decided he didn't like Queen of Diamonds after all.

* * *

Fly Girl was trying to get a decent shot off with either buzz gun with her arms pinned to her side when She-Fox attacked Spider. While Spider temporarily retreated, She-Fox liberated Fly Girl. Fly Girl was uncustomarily flustered.

"Um…thank you?" she ventured.

"Thank the Fox," She-Fox told her, "I did it for him. He likes you the way he used to be over me. He likes you, you like him, and I like him. So, to make him happy, I saved you. And you need to be alive to appreciate the fact he likes you and you can happily like him as well."

Fly Girl thought she followed that train of logic, "I think I had you wrong before."

"Probably not," She-Fox admitted.

"Now I, the Magnificent Spiderman, will weave my webs of destruction and kill you both," he laughed maniacally.

"Is he always like this?" She-Fox wondered.

"Pretty much," Fly Girl unloaded both buzz guns at Spider. And she zapped until she'd drained the batteries of both electrostatic discharge weapons. She swapped out battery packs while She-Fox nudged Spider's body with her foot.

"Well, he's still breathing anyway," She-Fox reported.

"That's the beauty of electrostatics. They stun without the amperage to kill anyone. I can unload dual power packs on someone and they live to complain about it later," Fly Girl explained, "I'm developing a way to project electrostatic force fields."

"Figures you're all brains," She-Fox sighed, "Paul's job as a fashion photographer puts him in the company of beautiful women every day but what really turns him on is brains."

"He still loves you, y'know," Fly Girl hated to tell her.

"Not in the 'I want to build a castle in the sky and live in it with you' kind of way," She-Fox shared, "And that royally sucks. First his costume got in the way of 'us'. Then he went to Japan without me. And he never looked me up when he returned to the States to find out I went to China to learn how to be She-Fox. And finally now my costume gets in the way. When I was just Delilah Monaco he wanted me but not now that I have an other identity as well. But that isn't a problem he has with you. So you're lucky in ways I can't share. You have to discover them on your own."

"Look, I'm sorry I was bitchy before but Fox was still hung up on you before you showed up in Los Angeles. That's when he finally got past you," Fly Girl told her.

"Well, I did my good deed for the day," She-Fox ignored the last comment, "See ya!"

She bounded off of the roof to land in a fire escape and slid down the rails until she reached the ground and she ran off on the street.

"And there she goes again. I just know this wasn't our last meeting," Fly Girl's wings beat and she flew off to find the Fox himself.

* * *

Fox was momentarily dismayed as Claw broke his sword scabbard in half. Finding a decent swordsmith in America was nearly an exercise in futility. But there was shop still open in NYC. It catered to decorative sword shoppers but also had an underground business for those practitioners who practiced and dealt with real edged weapons.

Claw was a frenetic berserker type. He was all high energy, low precision simple hack and slash. Comet had taken Darkling to see a movie about a similar "mutant". Apparently that was the label comic book writers assigned meta-humans. The movie and the surrounding hours had been pivotal in that Darkling opened up to Comet ever so slightly.

Paul Patton Sr. had died in the Fox costume and Paul's world had nearly ended. His mother didn't outlive his father by much but long enough to see Paul graduate high school…and pledge never to wear the Fox costume himself. An oath he'd betrayed.

But Fox knew pain when he saw it. Darkling had traumatic pain etched into her face and eyes. And she'd earned a living in the periphery of super villains. Latham had told the Mighty Crusaders Darkling had an extensive criminal past but the bulk of it was sealed by the juvenile courts. But Latham brought the subject up to dissuade anyone from prying too closely into Darla Lang's past.

But the downside to that was no one was asking Darkling why she suffered emotionally and kept her habitual silence and isolation. A code of silence was good when dealing with criminals but hid exploitable weaknesses from teammates. Fox got his head back into the fight as Claw nearly took it off.

The disadvantage to a frenzied fighting style, besides the fact you rarely connected with your opponent, was it tired the fighter out in a hurry. And as fatigue set in, the fighter typically resorted to squandering his reserves in a last ditch effort to kill the other person. Which Claw had reached that phase. Slower than most so he had the equivalent stamina of a marathon runner.

As Claw wound down, Fox opened up on him with three variations of karate alongside some judo and akido. Afterwards he confiscated Claw's weapons in case he should actually wake up outside a jail cell. He heard a familiar beating buzz of wings.

"Enjoy the show?" he asked Fly Girl.

"I always enjoy watching you get sweaty," Fly Girl grinned.

"I'm in a head to toe costume," Fox deadpanned.

"I have a very vivid imagination," Fly Girl's grin intensified, "And I have an even more explicit memory."

"So you're telling me you want to get sweaty again…with my help, of course," Fox decided to play the game after all.

"A little cardio mixed with some endurance training, blended with some strident articulation exercises for strengthening your tongue," Fly Girl recommended.

"You did tend to get vocal while I exercised last time," Fox humored her.

"Call it lung exercises combined with audible ranging for projection," Fly Girl chided him.

"And what shall we label your shouting X-rated profanity as?" Fox wondered.

"Evidence that you're doing your job and doing it well," Fly Girl suggested.

"Exceptionally well?" Fox asked.

"I can't tell yet. It was only the one night," Fly Girl advised him, "I don't want to prejudice the experiment just yet."

"So it's an experiment," Fox chuckled.

"Into mating rituals," Fly Girl clarified, "And it's an audition to see if I want to partake in such rituals for a long time."

"I hate to tell you this, but I learned things in Japan that you might not be able to handle," Fox warned her.

"Oh, a challenge," Fly Girl was intrigued.

"How about I teach you them one at a time and then we begin combining them and creating our own variations," Fox offered.

"And if I get bored?" Fly Girl was cautious.

"You won't," Fox told her, "I can disable a man with just my thumb. Imagine what I can do with my entire body."

"I'll take you up on that," Fly Girl wrapped her arms around his neck, "Take off that silly mask."

"You drop the fly eye goggles," Fox said as he complied. She did the same, "Paul Patton, meet Kim Brand. Very pleased ot meet you…again. And hopefully again, again, and again"

"No promises," Kim warned him.

"I've learned to live in the now and you're here now. So it's good," Paul told her.

"And when I'm not?" she askd.

"It won't be quite as good but I'll still be fine in the now," Paul stated.

"Shut up and kiss me already," Kim demanded and Paul did so with passion.

"Oh God, I can feel you poking into my hip. We need to get somewhere private. Now!" Kim got anxious. Paul obliged.

* * *

Inferno ignited the polymer portions of Tremor's armor. The bulk of the armor was metal but fabrics and a body glove made it mobile. Tremor screamed as his suit began to malfunction as its systems went into a cascading failure. Using its last erg of power, Tremor dropped a building on himself to snuff the flames.

Inferno dug him out and as Tremor stirred, he smashed his metal fist across Tremor's jaw. Inferno ripped chunks of the smoking armor off. NYPD patrolmen arrived and eyed Inferno carefully. The machine called Frank Verrano wondered how he'd explain himself to his fellow Mighty Crusaders.

* * *

Steel Sterling continued to avoid Brontosaurus' massive fist as Metal Master impeded Steel Sterling's mobility. He was stiffening up to a greater degree with every passing second. Focusing all of his efforts on a single hand, Steel Sterling warped it into a blade.

Overjoyed, he began dismembering the zombie-like Brontosaurus. And when he'd taken the monsters legs out from underneath and severed both its hands off, Steel Sterling turned his attention to Metal Master. Giving up on trying to manipulate Steel Sterling, Metal Master began warping cars abandoned in the streets.

Steel Sterling transformed both of his hands into mallets and went back smashing his way through the vehicles hoping everyone had proper insurance. He reached Metal Master and raised a malleted hand and the foe fainted. Startled that it could be so easy, Steel Sterling's hands reverted back to normal and his body took on flesh tones once again.

But Lodestone reshaped a car to serve as a scoop and he gathered Brontosaurus' body parts up and began to fly away. He magnetically swatted Steel Sterling and Metal Master aside as he lifted off. Steel Sterling wasn't hurt but Metal Master had taken a pounding. While the sight of Lodestone fending for his fellow Eliminator was heartening, the callous indifference Lodestone demonstrated towards Metal Master showed why he was a villain.

* * *

Darkling pushed her way through Dream Demon's phantasms and gripped the sides of her opponent's head. Dream Demon clapped her palm against Darkling's forehead. Darkling pushed Dream Demon's psyche further and further into darkness while Dream Demon forced Darkling to relive the "highlights" of her past.

But while Dream Demon was panicking, Darkling was also reliving those moments that forced her to choose how her life would be shaped. By herself if no one else would help. Dream Demon panicked and used her one tangible connection to push Darkling back by her head.

The pair lost contact with each other and the spells were broken. Dream Demon was shaken but Darkling was just pissed off.

"You should be an Eliminator. We'd be proud to have you as one of our own," Dream Demon offered.

"I'm trying something new here," Darkling retorted.

"It won't last any longer than any other attempt," Dream Demon counseled her, "Your new so-called 'friends' won't stand beside you once they know who you truly are and what your life has been thus far."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Keep the offer open in case of a maybe not," Darkling told her.

"I'm walking away now. Do you really think you want to go a second round with me?" Dream Demon asked.

"Do think you could take it?" Darkling asked.

"Touché," Dream Demon wearily sighed.

"Look, just go. I'll say you overpowered me or something. These guys piss their pants at the mention of your name," Darkling offered in return.

"And they should," Dream Demon proudly replied, "But I think we have an understanding, you and I."

"The offer may be appreciated but until I say 'yes' or a final 'no', we get it on every time we face each other," Darkling warned.

"Or the semblance thereof," Dream Demon winked and strolled away to meet up at a prearranged rendezvous with Rogue Star.

"Yeah, I'll be seeing more of you," Darkling wearily predicted.

* * *

The NYPD delivered the captured Evil Brain Trustees to the federal holding cells on Stryker's Island. DA Betty Bates interviewed the Mighty Crusaders in order to assemble a list of local charges to be filed before sundown in addition to the Federal prosecutor's building case. While Shield and Carole Anne Strander worked with Betty, the other Mighty Crusaders gathered around Inferno…and ignored Fox and Fly Girl's arrest on a charge of public indecency for having sex in an alley. Darkling remained aloof.

"So you're really a…?" Comet ventured.

"No one can figure that part out," Inferno told him.

"And you two knew," Fox singled out Web and Steel Sterling.

"We already had this conversation with Frank," Steel Sterling confirmed it.

"Dickering knows as well," Web pointed out, referring to the original Hangman, "The doctor and not the blind lawyer."

"Dim bulb there tried to hack me when he found out," Inferno complained about the Web.

"It didn't work," Web reminded him.

"You could be another Metallo," Fly Girl suggested.

"Or a Red Tornado," War Eagle offered a better choice.

"Or maybe I'm just…me," Inferno suggested.

"Good enough for me," Comet enthused.

"And we know you're not another Amazo or Amazo-Prime," Web declared. The Birds of Prey that had assisted the Mighty Crusaders had departed before Betty arrived for the legal end of things. Pow-Girl had agreed to move in with Web and Web. She also told John to change his code-name because Jane was a teenager and would die before doing so.

John Raymond had never felt as whole as he did now and the two hadn't even moved in to his penthouse in Silicon Valley yet.

Jaguar offered silent moral support to Darkling even as she still struggled to come to grips with her divergent sexuality. Darkling knew the signs and offered a few quiet words of advice, "It doesn't matter what a Jaguar spirit tells you and tries to force you into being. Down deep you're still Maria de Guzman and you have to remain true to Maria."

"Like you're true to Darla Lang?" Jaguar asked.

"That's a work in progress," Darkling demurred.

Shouting came out of the office where Black Hood had been brought to answer questions. Most of them revolved around whether or not Black Hood knew beforehand that Chromium would survive his fall. A charge of attempted murder still loomed over the situation.

* * *

Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern arrived in NYC in time to see the JLU and JLA arrested. Jack was incensed, "Christ, we gotta do somethin' Wenonah."

"They're not all there," Owlwoman told him.

"Say what?" Jack floundered.

"The new Wonder Woman and Barda, Big Barda, whatever the hell you call her, they're both missing. So is Stargirl. Power Girl and Black Mary call New York home and they aren't being taken," Owlwoman informed him.

"So what'ya suggest we do?" Jack asked.

"Daniel would always espouse a course of action and I'd turn it around to something reasonable," Owlwoman reminisced.

"I happen ta know me limitations," Jack replied, "I ain't been doin' this fer ten years like ya have."

Her burgeoning admiration for him grew another notch, "I suggest we find the missing players. My tracking sense can find where Wonder Woman and Barda got off to."

"Yer the boss. I don't know what I'm doin' most of the time anyway," Jack confessed.

"We all started there," Owlwoman reassured him, "Some of us were blessed to find mentors."

"Are ya bein' nice ta me?" Jack wondered.

"Of course not," she smiled.

"Good, `cause I think I'd have a friggin' heart attack if you were," Jack told her.

"Don't die yet. I still need your help," Owlwoman advised him.

"Well ain't that a barrel of monkeys?" Jack chuckled.

* * *

Shieldmaster and Flag Bearer handed off their luggage to assistants as they teleported in to Liberty Station. Then Flag Bearer hit the conveniently placed bathroom to unload her stomach.

"Believe me now?" Web was seconds away from doing the same.

"It gets better over time," Captain Flag promised, "Or so they tell me."

Even Yank vomited. Marvel barely dodged, "Bloody bird."

"I'll take one of him over ten of you," Captain Flag decided.

"Clear the deck," the operator told them, "The Mighty Crusaders are wrapping up legal paperwork and then will be returning. And they're bringing the Justice League in with them.

"Did you say the Justice League?" Flag Bearer made room for Web by exiting the bathroom.

"That's right," the operator told her.

"Oh. My. Effin'. God! That's so cool!" Flag Bearer exclaimed.

"What is?" Web asked as she made it out alive.

"We really need to discuss your use of language," Shieldmaster advised his daughter.

"I see they found the pair of you," Latham approached, "Join me in my office and I'll make the official request that you join the Shadow Crusaders."

"Hear that?" Flag Bearer was practically giddy.

"I was wondering what you'd call this little group that," Shieldmaster admitted.

"The Shadow Crusaders outnumber the Mighty Crusaders. But as an ad hoc, voluntary association we'd rarely have need to assemble the entire unit," Latham told them before turning to Captain Flag, "Keep an eye on young Web. I need her to stay on the island until her uncle arrives."

"Will do," Captain Flag agreed, "Web, Yank needs to stretch his wings. How would you like to explore Destruction Island?"

"Sounds better than boring my butt in here," Web agreed.

Latham got the Madigans into his office, "Be prepared. There's bound to be interruptions."

"Duly noted," Shieldmaster accepted that fact.

"Joe told us you were making this agency but I never expected anything to happen so fast," Flag Bearer admitted.

"Capt. Higgins shouldn't have spoken out of school," Latham chuckled, "But you're right. I built the framework for the MLJ when I was still with the DoD. Afterwards, it was simplicity to convince the President to shift the model over to a civilian agency tied to Homeland Security and FEMA."

"That's so effin' cool," Flag Bearer exclaimed.

"Denise!" Shieldmaster chastised her.

"I'm an old soldier,' Latham chuckled, "I've heard far, far worse from young ladies in uniform."

"Don't encourage her," Shieldmaster grumbled.

"So how do the Shadow Crusaders work and why us?" Flag Bearer wondered.

"Excellent questions. The very ones I would ask," Latham admitted,

"Think of the Shadow Crusaders as background operators. The Mighty Crusaders get the publicity and the glory while the Shadow Crusaders handle delicate problems no one wants to handle," Latham put bluntly, "But the MLJ will support your own initiative tasks and provide training if you want it."

"So we could eventually join the Mighty Crusaders," Flag Bearer hoped.

"With greater training and experience, I don't see any difficulties with that goal so long as it's what you really want." Latham answered and advised.

"I'll think about the Mighty Crusaders _if_ I have an opportunity to join them," Flag Bearer told him, "But I want all the training you can provide."

"Half of training is field experience," Latham stated.

"That's what I'm here for," Flag Bearer told him.

"We'll still be working as a unit for the foreseeable future," Shieldmaster clarified, "And I think making the MLJ a civilian operation with ties to the intelligence and defense community is wise. I watched the original Shield struggle with the dual roles of public defender and covert operative that all the American Crusaders had to endure."

"The MLJ is more akin to the FBI because our greatest tie is to the federal law enforcement community that Homeland gives us," Latham assured him, "We strive to liaise with state, local, county, and federal peace officers on the ground where we operate. And the Mighty Crusaders will only operate internationally in Canada and Mexico, whom we have negotiated jurisdiction rights."

"I'm so in," Flag Bearer volunteered.

"I'll never hear the end of it if I don't sign up," Shieldmaster admitted, "But I still have reservations about the comparisons with the American Crusaders."

"That's good to know. And discuss having reservations with the Marvel and Captain Flag," Latham told him.

* * *

Natalie Reed came calling on Zinda Blake and Penny O'Brien. Natalie had been a Blackhawk before she lost her eye and transferred to maintenance and became the Squadron's chief mechanic. But the new Lady Blackhawk, who had also lost an eye but remained a covert operative, trumped up charges to dismiss Natalie when Lady Blackhawk plowed her plane into the dirt and cast the blame on Natalie's modifications. Modifications that compensated for Lady Blackhawk's loss of depth perception.

So Natalie had been relieved to hear from the original Lady Blackhawk. Zinda had requested that Natalie modify the fighters and transport plane in the hangar beneath Eagle's Aerie. Natalie shared with Zinda and Penny that she could successfully modify anything within their deadline with help. So both pilots grabbed coveralls and began to assist Natalie.

* * *

While Dr. Mid-Nite teleported to Eagle's Aerie to examine the severity of Jesse Quick's wound, Superboy led his fellow students in an uprising against the Justice Society. Power Girl, Black Mary, Stargirl, and STRIPE arrived while it was underway.

"We just can't sit here!" Superboy shouted.

"That's precisely what we're doing. Our UN mandate through the DEO is to recruit and train meta-humans. That doesn't give us legal standing to gain custody of the Justice League.

"Screw legalities!" Superboy raged, "You're the effin' Justice Society. You guys are the original real deal."

"Which means we've been here before," Sentinel reminded him, "In the Thirties and Forties we operated individually and with the JSA after FDR assembled us. In the Fifties, the age of other freelance mystery man and woman came to an abrupt end. By the time Batman and Superman became active, the world was ready for them again but before that every costumed hero or heroine was sponsored by the government and the teams were government agents."

"The world wanted freelancers. Now it don't," Wildcat tersely told the JSA's students, "This'll pass after a while an' then we can get back ta business as usual."

"You faced jail and vanished," Wonder Girl pointed out, "The Justice League stood up and was counted. They let themselves be arrested. What kind of so-called 'justice' can they expect in this climate?"

"Ya'd be surprised," Wildcat grinned.

Betty Bates argued for a prisoner transfer for the Justice League to be accomplished en masse to the custody of the Mighty Crusaders. The judge ruled in favor and the Mighty Crusaders arranged for the JLU and JLA to be teleported to Liberty Station where Col. Steve Trevor and Shayera Hol awaited them beside Latham.

* * *

"I'm afraid your Achilles will never withstand the strain of your running at Speed Force velocities. So don't tempt fate," Dr. Mid-Nite told Jesse.

"But I could heal," Jesse protested.

"Maybe. Maybe not. The Speed Force allows for accelerated healing but even at an accelerated pace I don't see you walking on it again for months to come," Dr. Mid-Nite hated telling her.

How's Shayera?" Jesse glumly asked.

"Nearly healed thanks to her Thanagarian physiology," Dr. Mid-Nite tried to soften the blow of comparisons, "And the pregnancy is proceeding nicely. The hybrid factor coming together in combining alien and human DNA puts everything in doubt."

"But she'll have to choose field duty of family," Jesse predicted.

"Shayera has already stated her desire to assume the Intelligence Chief's role starting immediately," Dr. Mid-Nite revealed, "The question now is what will John decide?"

"Or Rick," Jesse fretted over her husband's choice to be made.

"He'll choose you. Every time," Dr. Mid-Nite promised her.

* * *

Trevor and Shayera greeted everyone warmly. Shayera was especially warm towards John. Trevor cast a inquisitive eye towards Superman regarding the obvious missing persons. Superman subtly shook his head and Trevor knew to bide his silence.

Latham gathered the JLU, JLA, and Mighty Crusaders in the briefing theater. KitCat and Kenny Wisdom ran down what had been occurring at Liberty Station and beyond while Carol had been in the field. And they ran Latham's proposed action plan for elements of the Shadow Crusaders and the Web Agency by her. They saved the existence of a second, younger Web for the piece de resistance. Carol was relieved to find Web had a heart after all. It made his offer to Pow-Girl seem reasonable.

"I've tasked the Web Agency with running surveillance on the captured Hall of Justice. My field agents assisted you in capturing a corps of Neo Nazis. Unfortunately, the mayor of New York City released them back to Degaton's care," Latham reported, "Degaton's agents have been 'acquiring', code speak for stealing, components and equipment to rebuild what Col. Trevor and his ARGUS associates damaged or destroyed on their exit before Amanda Waller ordered the building secured. Which consisted of a bicycle lock on the doors."

"Degaton is making his grand announcement to the world tomorrow and we're at a public relations standstill," Trevor picked up the briefing, "Over half of New Yorkers approved of Degaton's stormtroopers killing off hundreds of criminals in a wide ranging sweep. Degaton himself hasn't committed any crimes, only endorsed them. And the City of New York will not charge or prosecute the Nazis for the same murderous charges you were supposedly arrested for."

"Which leaves the world choosing Degaton or Luthor as absolute ruler," Shayera concluded, "Something we can't allow no matter the vote."

"We all agree on that," Superman pledged.

"You're international fugitives and the Mighty Crusaders are bound by national laws and jurisdiction. The President is planning a pardon but that will only relieve you all from pursuit within national borders," Latham informed them, "In fact, she should have the documents prepared to sign even now."

"It's something, General," Superman warmed to the idea. It was a start on solving the real issue. That issue being Luthor's manipulating the United Nations and the World Court. And the slaughter of innocent civilians on Corto Maltese.

"What about them," John cast a disparaging look towards the JLA.

"Watch the tone, buddy," Tefe took umbrage.

"You're no better than the Nazis you supposedly fought. Did the NYPD escort them off or did you just send them back home?" Vibe sneered while Gypsy winced.

General Glory physically interposed himself between the two groups, "They assisted us when we couldn't be everywhere at once. Why would they do that? What could they gain?"

"Our trust," Superman was skeptical but trying to keep an open mind.

"Let's settle this," Killer Frost suddenly proclaimed.

Several veteran JLers tensed up in anticipation. But she surprised them as she began explaining things, "We all joined Max Lord's Justice League for an opportunity to help people. But that was built on a lie. Max only wanted to help his own ambitions of replacing Luthor and setting himself up as the god-king over all. Most of our group was killed on our first mission. We're the survivors."

Killer Frost gladly omitted Neo Joker's participation, "We came to New York to assist you and possibly see if you could make a place for us."

"Is this true?" Superman asked.

"Killer Frost gave my two tech wizards an encrypted phone tapped into Luthor's private conversations. It's gold. We're building a case against him to present to the United Nations," Latham answered, "They did good."

"If you don't trust my teammates, trust me," Insect Queen stepped forward, "My mask isn't lead lined on this planet."

Superman took that as an invitation to use his X-Ray Vision and he was staggered by the revelation, "Lana?"

"Of Earth-2. Three of us made it off in time," Insect Queen told him, "And I've been trying to get close enough to make certain the Justice _League_ of this world doesn't become a Justice _Lords_ like on mine."

"We're not the Justice Lords," John protested.

"So you say now yet you're discussing interfering with a worldwide referendum because you don't like any of the outcomes," Insect Queen replied, "The point is, I trust these people with my life. You should too."

"That's unfair," Superman protested the comparison to Lord Superman.

"Really, because Luthor is the Global Advisor running the world rather than being President of the United States? The Flash has been MIA for months now." Insect Queen reminded him, "Without its self proclaimed 'heart and soul' how will the Justice League steer its moral compass?"

"He's alive if you're worried about that," Shayera told her.

"Where is he then?" Insect Queen asked.

"Apokolips. He's helping lead a revolt against Darkseid," John sounded proud of Wally West.

"So he's as good as dead," Insect Queen dryly remarked.

"We all need to wait a minute," Killer Frost interjected, "You have reason to distrust us. We have reasons to distrust you. All of them valid and justified. But we're making a reach here. Throw us a lifeline and you'll never regret it."

Trevor and Latham held their collective breaths. General Glory broke the silence, "I see we take them on."

Power Ring seconded that opinion, "I was a member of the Crime Syndicate before I joined the Justice League."

"I say we turn them away," Atom sniped.

"I'm with him," Vibe shared.

"There's good and bad both ways," Gypsy saw clearly, "But I say we bring them in."

"Once a villain, truly they stay a villain," Sir Justin bitterly voiced recalling both Saturn Queen and Goldilocks.

"We all have moments of pain and reflection," Anna said, "They're reflection brought them to us. How could we turn them away?"

"We can watch them better if they're beside us then halfway across the country," Atom Smasher was pragmatic..

"I say let them join," Shayera spoke, "I betrayed the League and the entire world yet you took me back."

"I still have concerns," John admitted.

"So do I but my greatest concern is why this is even a debate," Superman said, "The Justice League is built on hope and the greater good. They've demonstrated our common hope and desire for a greater good. We have to take them in."

"If that's settled, congratulations. You're in," Trevor told the former JLA.

"Now, back to business," Latham interjected, "We need an action plan for tomorrow morning and we need it before Degaton rallies the world to his cause."

Silence loomed and Trevor spoke, "No idea is too idiotic or too crazy."

"Um…I have an idea," Flag Bearer said from the open doorway, "But it's kinda weird."

"Then no one will be expecting it," Latham grinned.

Shieldmaster caught up with his wayward daughter in time to see her brief the Mighty Crusaders and Justice League.


	12. Chapter 12

15

"They mean to what?" Barda yelled into her earpiece receiver's pick up zone, "No, I will not calm down."

"What is it?" Wonder Woman was annoyed that her ear bud transceiver had been dislodged and subsequently lost during her struggle with Brunhilde.

"They're going to the rally," Barda snorted as she deactivated her signal device.

"Those people will shred them," Artemis found it to be folly as well.

"Not to mention Degaton's forces will be attending as well much less the hostile crowd," Barda grated, "We're to meet up with something called the Web Agency. They're nearby conducting surveillance on the Hall of Justice. They can't be any more useless."

"Even a dead cat would be more useful. At least we could eat it," Artemis opined.

"I happen to like cats," Barda said coldly.

"So we don't kill and eat your cat," Artemis shrugged.

"These Web agents better have rations," Barda declared, :"And what the hell is a MLJ?"

* * *

Over two thousand adherents and spectators descended on the grounds of the freshly relabeled Hall of National Socialism the next morning. Most were on the campus merely to say they were there on the fateful day. The New Reichsmen and the Fourth Reich flanked Per Degaton as he stood at the podium waiting to address the world. Satan Girl stood behind Degaton's right shoulder. Hirohito's Red Sun Brigade stood prominently to display the tolerance Degaton's national socialism had for racial and political diversity.

Having discovered Facebook, Degaton scoured its voluminous pages to issue invitations to like minded African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and representatives of other racial groups to embrace the common man as well. The Neo Nazi Korps were meant to serve as gate attendants but they were sitting in holding cells in Strykers Island guests of the city of New York on behalf of the Web Agency. Degaton was pleased he hadn't intended on including them in his grand design. Scarlet Skull would eventually seek to displace Degaton. He'd summoned the esssentially displaced Masked Leader from Europe to serve as his disciple and placeholder when he leapt through time next.

Satan Girl was Degaton's only true confidante. They'd discussed his master plan at length between sexual encounters. Degaton found Satan Girl had muscular control that Jenna Quick had only dreamt of. And with it she could pleasure Degaton in ways he'd never conceived of.

Degaton had screwed Jenna because of the thrill of having sex with his own adopted daughter who was the offspring of his enemies in reality. But she'd climaxed too quickly for Degaton to truly enjoy himself so when Satan Girl offered herself, he'd leapt at the chance. And Jenna's jealousy had swiftly grown tiresome. Jenna had been spared Earth-9's destruction because Satan Girl had already killed her with her Hellfire Vision before then. And Satan Girl normally wouldn't mind if Degaton brought in a dozen women to satisfy his lusts. She'd even join in as lucky number thirteen.

Degaton planned on impregnating as many women as he humanly could and would rear up a biological army. And when the time came, he would deploy them around the world to serve as his administrators as he prepared to jump further into the future with Satan Girl at his side. To inherit the world government he'd fashioned for himself. And then he would repeat the process again and again throughout time.

He would forge his own master race with his own seed and blood if need be. And when Satan Girl conceived, he'd have his heir apparent in the fashion of Overgirl. Because Degaton still aged at a normal rate as he bounced from era to era. He was in his forties now, having begun his journeys through time as a younger man. But his time with Hitler and then again as _Fuhrer_ of Earth-9 had aged him nearly the twenty years that he'd spent in the three incursions into the normal space-time continuum. Degaton knew he could only expect to raise one or maybe two broods of children but Satan Girl represented his ultimate goal of fashioning a superior being with his own sperm.

Degaton put such thoughts aside as the gathering crowd grew listless and the reporters and news helicopters and vans had set up to prepare to record him for posterity. The sole remaining Earth would be his. Not through a clash of arms but through the power of the spoken word. Glorious Godfrey and Amazing Grace had counseled Degaton after he'd allied with Darkseid in the power of the spoken word. But Darkseid hadn't proven infallible. The Lord of Apokolips hadn't seen the Anti Monitor's strike against the multiverse coming. And even now it was doubtful Darkseid knew his own progeny worked beside the Anti Monitor against her own father.

"Welcome true believers!" Degaton roared and the crowd responded, "This is a momentous day. It is the day we throw off the shackles of bigotry, of inequality, of there being rich and poor, we shall even remove crime and the impurity of the soul."

The crowd roared their approval in return. Degaton continued, "Throw away the shackles of the past that have blinded you from your own potential. Discard the twisted vision of a so-called 'Global Advisor' to embrace the enriching vision of National Socialism. Our National Socialism won't be the hatred known in the past. It is the grandeur of the future. But there are times when the future must be seized if the vision is to come true. Moments must taken by force if need be. To live your dreams beside your fellow man, you must cooperate under a common banner, a united ideology. National Socialism at its heart is what you make it to be. No constraints can hold a true adherent back. Your destiny will be what you make of it. Yours dream fulfilled or denied at its basic level. No cost is too great ad no dream too grand. You will have your fulfillment!"

The crowd went insane. Even viewers of the televised broadcast felt swayed. It truly was a global disease that Degaton had firmly planted in the minds of millions if not billions.

But Degaton wasn't quite finished, "Strength makes what's right. And even the weakest among you has greater strength than anyone could have imagined. Be ruthless in taking what is yours. Don't denied!"

And the crowd went insane. Journalists were either swayed or worried. And then Superman moved though the crowd to confront Degaton.

"Excuse me, but what happens when one person's desire conflicts with another person's? Is that when both get ruthless in the attainment of their goals and the stronger kills the weaker person?" Superman asked.

Degaton chuckled, "It seem we'll have a diversion before I move to the intended policies section of my address. Behold! The vanguard of oppression. This man above all others has held you back. He is the embodiment of denial. The greeter of goals not met, the denier of pleasures secretly craved, the swift arm of the establishment that keeps you down. Destroy him!"

Degaton's goal was to pressure Superman into responding against the crowd. But the surging crowd couldn't hurt him, just each other in their frenzy to harm the Kryptonian.

Degaton called them off, "But do not be so hasty, my friends. There is one here that can match his audacity with equal strength and cunning."

Overman moved through the crowd that hungrily parted for him to pass unhindered. He struck Superman and the JLer went down. Superman wiped the blood from his lip, "Thanks for that."

" _Vas_? You're a greater idiot than I imagined you to be," Overman laughed.

"No," Superman rose to his feet, "You just struck a federal agent. I'm placing you under arrest for assault."

Degaton picked that thread up, "You are a wanted international criminal."

"President Olivia McKay pardoned the Justice League for any and all crimes they may or may not have committed. And then she deputized us as agents of the MLJ," Superman revealed as the bolstered JLU and the Mighty Crusaders worked their way into the crowds.

"Tell me this is a joke," Degaton dryly pleaded.

"It's hardly a joke," Shield told him, "Now you're conspirators are wanted for over two hundred counts of murder. They can divvy up which counts belongs to them individually once they're in custody. So please, make this a pleasurable experience and resist."

"Of course we'll resist," Degaton scoffed, "Kill the fascist swine!"

The irony of being labeled a fascist by Nazis wasn't lost on either the Justice League or the Mighty Crusaders. Except for Shining Knight that was.

"Move this away from the crowd," Superman ordered the Justice League and they dispersed.

"Get the people to safety and then worry about bad guys," Shield instructed the Mighty Crusaders.

* * *

Overman pounded away at both Superman's body and his ears as he ranted while throwing punches, "I hate this world and its double sided dealings. You know why National Socialism works? Because the lazy cows want to be ruled over by an absolute authority. We'll give them one and run their lives for them."

Superman just hoped Kevin Wells' drones were picking all of that up. Because Superman was starting to take a real beating and he was tired of it. So he caught Overman's fist on the next swing.

"It's over," he told his doppelganger.

"No, it's Overman," his uppercut propelled Superman into a low orbit.

* * *

Green Lantern had never successfully detained Superman, the original Supergirl, Power Girl, and any member of a Marvel Family. But Overgirl was half of what they were. She'd given up beating on the construct's walls and applied her heat vision to it. But she burned away all the oxygen in the container and was suffocating. John Stewart released her and she became a blur that struck him out of New York City.

"Foolish Negro," Overgirl spat.

* * *

Brunhilde used her flying horse to come at Power Ring with her spear and shield, keeping her sword in reserve should it prove to be needed. Jessica Cruz was alarmed to discover the spear could penetrate her constructs. She'd known the Ring of Volthoom was depleted but she'd never realized just how badly. It was no wonder the damn thing had finally shut up.

The Ring of Volthoom's available target was a Valkyrie who might or might not be able to even experience fear. But Jessica's life depended upon it. If Brunhilde truly was above the clutches of fear then Power Ring would die.

* * *

General Glory was discovering Iron Fist made a good hole punch. He was perforating everything to be found inside the Hall of Justice's parking garage. General Glory also knew other skirmishes were taking place on different levels of the garage. So it was his job to stay alive and keep Iron Fist from aiding his confederates.

But General Glory got sloppy and Iron Fist cracked him in the jaw. While the General was still seeing double, Iron Fist moved in for the kill. Idly, Donavan Wallace wondered if his General Glory persona could be rendered paralyzed like his own natural body was.

* * *

"Hmm…Japanese _Shinto_ sorcery combined with Chinese Taoist alchemy. Very curious," Anna Fortune studied Captain Nippon. He yelled at her to surrender and prepare for execution, following a good long rape. Anna couldn't understand Japanese nor was she inclined to do what it was he said to do by the sound of it. This one presented a welcome challenge for Anna.

His extreme physical might could just be the power to overwhelm her sorcery. And Captain Nippon's ties to mystically endowed scenic vistas in Japan could harm them as she tried to disconnect him from their power. But as Captain Nippon began his attack, Anna realized she might not have a choice but to try. And she had to do it at the first available opportunity.

And she recognized that look in his eye as the same one her fiancé had when he killed her emancipated lover and threatened to simply take Anna by force. She'd killed him back in the Reconstruction South and she'd kill this lout if need be. No one would ever force Anna into sex.

* * *

Underwaterman ran off of the property's pier and dove into the putrescence of the river. Atom Smasher simply jumped and then grew to two hundred feet tall. Atom Smasher congratulated himself for taking the upper hand so soon. But Underwaterman hit his heel going 200 knots and Atom Smasher was knocked onto his back…and underwater. He was at his foe's mercy. And the Atlantean Nazi had none.

* * *

Vibe managed to dissipate Master Race's force beams. Meanwhile Gypsy hit him over his helmeted head. Neither approach did much to stop him. And the young, barely an official couple yet, pair mutually gulped over their prospects.

* * *

Crossbow could kill Atom when he was at his full height. Laughing Skull had no obvious advantage. But Laughing Skull's presence made it virtually impossible for Atom to ambush Crossbow unseen. So Ray Palmer had quite a puzzle to put together on how to achieve their capture without being a pin cushion.

* * *

Ace of Blades easily disarmed Sir Justin on their rematch, "Give me what I desire and I'll let you run off and play hero."

"What dost thou desire?" he wondered.

"I want you to make love to me for an hour. If you please me and if any of your comrades are still alive, then you may aid them. I'll even help," she negotiated.

"Art thou so desperate to be loved?" Sir Justin asked.

"I can live with or without love," Ace of Blades spoke, "But good sexual partners are hard to find in this crowd. You live by the code of chivalry then you should know you have to fulfill my wishes. Have sex with me. Play out every sordid fantasy you've had about me. And I can tell you've entertained them."

"Aye, let's do this thing," Sir Justin had grown jaded since Tessa Richardson, his one great love, had transformed back into Eve Aries the Saturn Queen. And his time with Goldilocks had merely been enlightening in that he'd never loved her and she was a sexual conquest just as he had been for her. He'd just been consumed by lust. Like now.

* * *

"You should be standing with us, not against us," Captain Nazi had tossed aside his glass eye.

"I tried it. It didn't take," Killer Frost told him as she brushed her fingers across his chest. He roughly grabbed and kissed her. And he froze in place.

"Maybe I should have warned you about that," she chuckled.

Then she saw Sir Justin leading Ace of Blades behind the Hall of Justice. And they acted like horny teenagers looking for a spot for a quickie. Or maybe longer judging by Ace of Blades' expression.

Killer Frost decided to investigate.

* * *

"You are the so-called 'Flash'?" Blitzen asked Lady Flash.

"I am Col. Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova, formerly of Blue Trinity. But you may call me Lady Flash," she declared.

Blitzen groaned. Why did Lady Flash have to be Russian? Ukrainians in her world had been defended from the Nazis by the Russians.

"Why 'Lady' Flash and not just Flash?" Blitzen was confused.

"There have been three men called the Flash. One is of retirement age, another died, and the third…" Lady Flash drifted off.

"You want him," Blitzen realized.

"I am not worthy to be the Flash," Lady Flash insisted, "But I am a woman so I can be Lady Flash."

"You're a woman so you're any man's superior," Blitzen hotly declared, "Do you wish to challenge my superiority?"

"I already know how this will end," Lady Flash confidently declared.

"Then we race until we die," Blitzen determined, "Or…any number of other things."

Blitzen sprinted off and Lady Flash began to follow. She watched as Blitzen built up a static charge and it was blue. The side effect of Velocity 9. But Blitzen wasn't being consumed by the drug anymore than Lady Flash had. So she was a true Speed Force speedster. But it meant Blitzen would be twice as hard to beat.

Lady Flash knew the terrain better so she used that knowledge to get ahead of Blitzen at every turn. So she steered Blitzen back to the Hall of Justice campus and raced her in circles around the building itself. And never once did Blitzen use the time to attack Lady Flash. Instead she slowed to pace her. And Lady Flash could swear Blitzen was flirting with her.

* * *

Tefe Holland barely avoided being decapitated by Baroness Blitzkrieg. Tefe suddenly wanted to go home to Florida but she knew she had to survive the day in order to tender her resignation after being a JLer overnight. So she summoned the native flora and fauna and caused the plants to put all of their resources into growth and ensnare Baroness Blitzkrieg. The swarm of birds and vermin came next. Even those cats and dogs that could free themselves ignored the rodents and concentrated on Baroness Blitzkrieg. When the NYPD's horses arrived, replete with bewildered riders, Baroness Blitzkrieg started to give up.

* * *

Insect Queen used bugs of every description to mass and swarm around Baroness Blood and Baron Gestapo. They infiltrated Baron Gestapo's tech vest and shorted it out at the cost of their own lives. Baroness Blood went insane fighting a foe she couldn't overcome. Insect Queen sat back and thanked her allies even as she spurred them on to further action.

* * *

Valentina Vostok's expertise in nuclear science included an intimate knowledge with the periodic table. So elements were easy for her to craft. Alloys though were still problematic. And Valentina desperately needed to bolster her defenses as Captain Murder bore down on her and ripped through every barrier and restraint.

* * *

Red Death sprayed crowd patrons with his noxious gas and they died as disfigured as he was. Red Death had been the only survivor of the gas trials he'd inflicted upon Jewish concentration camp victims until the gas tank seals gave way and killed Red Death's colleagues and the condemned alike.

He sprayed Blue Jay as he swooped in to halt the attack. Blue Jay fluttered to the ground hacking and wheezing.

"Another delicious death," Red Death cackled.

Then Blue Jay returned to his human height and cracked Red Death in the jaw with his fist, "Do me a favor and stay down."

"How…how are you still alive?" Red Death gasped.

"I'm not from Earth, you malignant gas bag," Blue Jay told him as he prepared to beat Red Death into the ground if he so much as twitched.

* * *

Earlier Silver Sorceress quickly deduced that Faye Morgana's "magic" was little more than illusion casting. Her true strength lay in her telekinesis. Which was deadly enough in its own right.

* * *

As the Mighty Crusaders ushered the crowd back beyond the grounds, members of the New Reichsmen and Fourth Reich joined with members of Hirohito's Red Sun Brigade to deal a fatal blow to the American agents.. The Mighty Crusaders allowed the Nazis and the lone Japanese Imperialist to choose their foes of choice.

Fortunately for the Shield the Hun selected him. The Hun had been running ethnic cleansing death squads in post-conflict Serbia and Kosovo branching out into all the former Yugoslav nations. One of Shield's first missions had been to shut the operation down. And the two had been hardened enemies ever since.

Shield knew the Hun's mystical talisman of a shield protected him from Shield's greater than human strength. But the best way to keep the Hun off guard was to come at him fists flying. And the German was desperate to get some distance from the Shield of America. He could throw the shield like a discus and it would punch holes through the plate armor of a ship or tank.

But Shield let Hun gain some distance, enough even to throw the shield at him. Executing a split second perfect catch, Shield spun around and hurled Attila the Hun's shield back at the Hun. And it him like a missile.

* * *

Firebug almost incinerated Black Hood twice before he realized the man was anticipating his every move. Unbeknownst to Firebug, Black Hood's namesake executioner's hood guided its wearer on when to move and where to be. Firebug just started torching everything until his fuel tank ran dry and his flamethrower petered out.

Black Hood fired a shot over Firebug's head, "Care to see if mine is still loaded?"

Firebug lobbed a pyrotechnic bombs that Black Hood shot in midair and nearly incinerated its creator with the explosion. Firebug wasn't bright enough to count it as a near miss. Instead he lobbed his second and final bomb. With repeated results.

Only this time Firebug did get hit with the fire laden fuel spray. So he dove and rolled in the ground and came up to find Black Hood aiming directly at him that time, Black Hood was merciless.

"Now it's my turn," he told Firebug.

* * *

Madame Libertine thought she'd make quick work out of Jaguar. But the were-woman's strength was incredible. If bleeding from Jaguar's punches weren't humiliating enough, the spirit hostess' claws could tear Madame Libertine's usually super durable flesh. Madame Libertine and her great-great uncle, Captain Nazi, had both received reminders of the limitations of their power recently. Captain Nazi had lost an eye and Madame Libertine could truly lose her life against the increasingly feral Jaguar.

* * *

Hachiman repeatedly tried to shear off War Eagle's wings when she dove for the attack. But the raptor-human hybrid was faster than Hachiman could have imagined before fighting her. He'd expected an easy victory but now, faced with her rage and her talons, Hachiman knew surviving would prove to be a true victory.

War Eagle's attacks were ripping away Hachiman's modified samurai armor. She was stripping him of it one component at a time. And without its protection, War Eagle was even starting to draw blood. But her wings were the secret to Hachiman's increasingly less likely victory. Without them she would be as vulnerable as she was making Hachiman.

So he tightened his grip on his energy transferring _katana_ and prepared for the fight of his life.

* * *

With his sword shattered, Fox brought two staves into the fight. They could be combined and extended into a _bo_ staff or lengthened by internal chains into _nunchucks_. Leatherwing brought razor tipped batarangs into the fray. Fox didn't know if the label applied to Leatherwing's weapons but when dealing with an other-dimensional Batman wannabe, you took what was handed to you.

But Fox was the Mighty Crusaders' preeminent hand to hand and melee weapon to melee weapon expert. Leatherwing was the same for the New Reichsmen. In sparring sessions, Leatherwing had beaten Overman. So he saw no challenge to defeating the Fox. Fox intended to prove otherwise.

* * *

Baron Blitzkrieg found himself wanting to take a nap. But Fly Girl was running him into the ground. He was ragged despite his bursts of speed, flight, or strength. And Fly Girl's buzz guns' jolts actually hurt him.

Baron Blitzkrieg was just tired. He'd kept Hitler's dreams alive for sixty-four years after the one and true _Fuhrer_ had died in the bunker. He wanted nothing more than to stand down and pass his torch to a worthy successor.

Captain Nazi could run his Fourth Reich into the ground for all Baron Blitzkrieg cared. His great-great granddaughter kept her racial secret from those bumbling Aryan fools. She might prove worthy of his mantle but he had another selected to attempt to recreate the surgical accident that spawned Baron Blitzkrieg himself.

Baron Blitzkrieg could return to Brazil and finally enjoy some rest. But first he had to kill Fly Girl to earn his freedom.

* * *

Web fought a rebuilt Dr. Demon. Despite her cybernetics being an older generation than she was used to deploying with, she had successfully locked Web out of her systems. And her bionics rendered her stronger and faster than even Web's multimillion dollar action suit could do for him. But Web couldn't afford to give up. He had a chance to reconcile with his wife and niece. And he wasn't going to give any Star Trek reject an opportunity to prevent him from doing so.

* * *

"What are you?" Volkssturm asked Inferno.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," Inferno punned.

"So be it," Volkssturm began ramping up his electrical charges.

"Great," Inferno groaned.

* * *

"Very curious. I cannot penetrate your mind. It is no longer human," Martian told Steel Sterling.

"Then I guess we fight the old fashioned way," Steel Sterling said.

"Challenge accepted," Martian began to alter his shape.

Steel Sterling did as well and Martian could only comment, " _Very_ curious."

* * *

The Web Agents cordoned off the Hall's campus to keep the thousands of civilians and the press out of harm's way. It also effectively trapped Degaton and Satan Girl within the perimeter.

"Crowds ugly," Silver remarked to Buster.

"We only have one role here and that's to hold this line," Buster replied, "So we'll do that."

"With a little help," Plastic Man offered after returning from Eagle's Aerie.

"Welcome aboard," Buster was grateful.

* * *

Barda and Artemis had penetrated the Hall of National Socialism. They stealthily approached the Ops Center to find Degaton ranting at Satan Girl.

"These fools are humiliating me," he raged.

"Give them time," Satan Girl knew Degaton was referring to his own forces, "And allow me to summon assistance."

"Can you?" Degaton wondered if she could still summon demons beyond Earth-9.

"Hell exists beyond space-time and outside the universe. _Any_ universe," Satan Girl pledged, "And the Prince of the Power of the Air despises the Justice League and any of its allies. I will petition and Legion will be dispatched to join us."

"Not if we have anything to do with it," Barda challenged the Kryptonian occultist.

"Go, my lord," Satan Girl plucked Artemis' arrow out of the air inches from Degaton's left eye, "I will deal with them."

"It seems we have to go though her," Barda noticed.

"Good," Wonder Woman set aside her bow and readied her sword and shield, "It's been months since I killed a demon and its worshiper."

"Then let's get on with it," Satan Girl urged happy to finally have an opportunity to kill someone on this Earth and sacrifice their blood to Lucifer.

* * *

Supergirl had turned invisible to move past Barda and Wonder Woman. Then as they confronted Satan Girl, she went further to follow Degaton. Degaton had retreated to the armory when Matrix confronted him.

"You will end this battle," she declared.

"When your comrades are dead and not before," Degaton hefted a rifle.

Supergirl edged closer, "And when you're dead?"

"Then I will be a martyr to billions and you will never end my dream for this world," Degaton laughed, "And my forces will fight until I tell them to stop."

Supergirl changed and became Per Degaton, "Then I'll tell them to stop and erase your message."

"Clever but it won't save Earth from National Socialism. The Justice Society killed Hitler and his dream endured for me to seize control of it," Degaton told "Degaton", "The same will hold true here no matter what lies you spread. The truth of my murder will come out. And the world will riot because of it."

Supergirl reclaimed her shape, "This isn't your Earth."

"It isn't yours either," Degaton proclaimed, "So if you want to lose everything, strike me down."

Supergirl threw caution aside and simply acted on impulse.

* * *

"The motion has failed," the British delegate to the United Nations Security Council angrily declared. The vote had been whether to exonerate the Justice League. And it was passing until both the Russian delegate used his unilateral vetoes to kill the measure. China abstained. Because if any one of the Five Permanent Members vetoed it killed any measure despite the votes of the rest of the council.

"It seems our Russian and Chinese friends appreciate bullshit," the American delegate fumed, "Or why else would they continue this legal farce?"

"Do not call a vote if you cannot endure its loss," the Russian advised, "It makes a sorry loser."

"That's 'sore loser'. Yuri," the American scoffed.

"As you say, 'whatever'," the Russian said flippantly.

"Gentle beings, we need order," the French voiced, "We cannot escape Luthor's grasp without assistance. And the Justice League has proven itself capable of doing so time and again. And there is the matter of Degaton. His disease is spreading. Most of the Third World is clamoring to elect him absolute ruler."

"You do not like this turn of events?" the Russian asked, "Endorse the Legion of Doom to deal with Degaton's scum."

"Not this again," the British groaned.

"You object because of their loyalty to Luthor. Yet such people are loyal only to themselves and can be financially persuaded to serve our whims," the Chinese delegate broke his silence, "And they can be maneuvered into their own destruction if need be."

"Makes a helluva kinda sense," the American decided, "Buy `em and toss `em afterwards."

"Luthor will demand the lives of the Justice League as payment," the French fretted.

"So be it," the Russian voiced.

The British still objected, but she didn't veto the motion but merely abstained. And history was made that day.

* * *

"That was the Secretary-General," Luthor announced, "The UN has sanctioned the Legion of Doom to deal with the Nazis, their leader, and the Justice League."

"This is staggering," the Ultra-Humanite spoke for the other Legionnaires gathered together.

"They chose it of themselves," Luthor chuckled, "Forget Darkseid's 'invasion and conquest' model of operation. The best way to conquer is to have the world hand itself to you. A lesson Degaton is attempting to utilize but will fail."

"So we're headed to Brooklyn?" Lady Vic asked.

"In due time. Let the Nazis and the Justice League wear each other down. There are also these Mighty Crusaders to deal with. I'm inclined to spare them in order to prevent President McKay from voicing too many objections. But if they obstinately interfere, deal with them as you deem appropriate."

"Looks like you get your war after all," Signalman teased Lady Vic.

"And it'll be a total war scenario," Lady Vic pledged.


	13. Chapter 13

42

Killer Frost watched Ace of Spades strip the essentials off and help pull Sir Justin's layers of chainmail and padding off. Then they found creative ways of using the surroundings in the atrium.

"I guess if you can't beat them then screw them," Killer Frost muttered. Her own sexual orientation made it so the sight of a man and woman having torrid sex was just unappealing. Despite the fact Ace of Spades had a magnificently toned body, Killer Frost had to walk away and wait it out.

* * *

Overman examined the situation as his fellow Nazis battled the Justice League and the idiots calling themselves the Mighty Crusaders. He would show them the very nature of might. But he heard the sonic boom overhead.

Superman smashed Overman into the ground and began a piston-like series of punches to Overman's face. But Overman kicked his knees into Superman's back and sent him sprawling. They both floated onto their feet and faced one another. Overman's face already began to heal in the light of the yellow sun.

"You should have stayed in space and died, mongrel," Overman spat.

"You're Kryptonian and not German. How can you know what your pedigree is?" Superman tried to reason it out.

" _Nein_!" Overman raged, "I was a mere boy when the aged _Fuhrer_ investigated my foster parent's farm after they claimed me at the orphanage. Those fools, the Kants, hadn't reported my existence when they called in the evidentiary existence of my rocket. But Hitler knew it had occupied and when I began to display my superhuman gifts, he came to me and he christened me the Aryan _Uberman_ who would safeguard his brighter tomorrow."

Karl Kant neglected to tell Superman that his wife, Lena Lang, hadn't aged over the sixty-four years after Overman had courted her as youths as the war spread across the globe. She'd been his personal object of affection. But the substance found within his Kryptonian pod had run out and Lena was beginning to age even though Karl didn't appear to. And Lena had been hysterical for months before the end fo Earth-10 arrived. Overman could have saved his wife but chose not to. And it seemed Lena had a doppelganger in this world as well. Lana Lang would be his and his alone.

"To me, you're just another pathetic hate peddler," Superman admitted.

Overman reacted with a beserker rage worthy of his devotion to Wotan. Superman was left bleeding and partially broken on the turf. But Overman had yet to realize Superman healed quicker than he did and he'd been holding back. His sense of complete satisfaction would quickly fade when Superman reawakened.

* * *

Overgirl mustered everything she had and break free of Green Lantern's restraints. And then Overgirl's hyperkinetic right cross knocked John Stewart out. And left him at her mercy.

* * *

Power Ring's Ring of Volthoom was starved of fear energy. And Brunhilde the Valkyrie felt nothing of the sort. So she used the shaft of her spear to knock Jessica Cruz out. And she left Jessica lying there because she had fought bravely, more bravely than any human had against her in decades. So Brunhilde determined to spare her and bring her to Valhalla so that Odin could make her a Valkyrie just as Brunhilde had once been a poor peasant maid that had taken up the sword and shield against the Romans and the Valkyrie chose to honor her with becoming one of their own .

* * *

Iron Fist changed fighting styles in mid-struggle and General Glory was caught unprepared. So Iron Fist used his namesake to pound away at General Glory. And not even the Spirit of Lady Liberty could keep him conscious under such an ordeal.

* * *

Anna Fortune attempted to sever Captain Nippon's ties to sacred _Shinto_ places of animistic power. But those spirits resisted and created a power feedback that knocked her out…and at Captain Nippon's untender mercies.

* * *

Atom Smasher tried rising out of the water but Underwaterman kept plowing into him at over two hundred knots. The living torpedo was knocking Atom Smasher senseless. Finally an unknown entity distracted Underwaterman and allowed Atom Smasher to resume his human stature and crawl up the banks of the East River.

* * *

Master Race pushed his way through Vibe's vibration field and his right cross nearly broke Vibe's jaw. Hidden, Gypsy made her way to the perimeter to get assistance from Plastic Man or the Web Agents.

* * *

Atom grew from beneath Crossbow and delivered a bone rattling uppercut that knocked Crossbow off of his feet. His weapon discharged when it clattered to the ground, narrowly missing Laughing Skull. But Laughing Skull was just as quick to attack Atom. Laughing Skull had observed Atom employing his size controls during the evasive portion of the scenario. So Laughing Skull used _akido_ restraints to jerk Atom's thumbs out of their sockets.

But Atom valiantly fought like a man with something to live beyond himself. But Laughing Skull was just biding his time while Crossbow retrieved his weapon and cracked Atom over the head with it. Then he began loading a new quarrel into it intending to put the bolt between Atom's eyes. All the while, Atom struggled to use or relocate his thumbs to trigger his next size change.

* * *

Lady Flash skidded to a halt. She was exhausted and at the limit of her Blue Trinity derived power. Blitzen saw a reprieve and also came to a halt just outside of Lady Flash's reach. Her limitations exceeding Lady Flash's own. But those limitations and the drive to exceed them had driven Lady Flash into taking Velocity 9 in the first place.

Unbeknownst to Lady Flash, Blitzen had reached the end of her dose. She had none either because she didn't even realize Velocity 9 was available on the street on this Earth. On Earth-10 it had been developed to push Blitzen's speed powers beyond their normal limits after her chemical accident in the factory had given her access to something called the _Blitzkrieg Zwingen_. Of course Lady Flash and Blitzen had tried throwing static lighting at each other to no avail.

But Blitzen could see the other woman was exhausted so she struck. Before Lady Flash could safely react, Blitzen darted the other way and then came hammering back to a destructive punch to the jaw. Only Lady Flash Speed Force imbued velocity resistant body withstood the punch. Now that Blitzen had her down, she began vibrating her hand to carve out Lady Flash's heart the way her _Wissenschaftsdirektorat_ instructors had taught her. And she bid her beautiful Russian opponent farewell when all she really wanted to was kiss her at least once before Lady Flash died.

* * *

Tefe Holland wasn't certain she wanted to be a JLU JLer yet but the rodents, birds, and invasive weeds clamoring or sprouting all around Baroness Blitzkrieg were certainly getting the job done. They'd totally bogged her progress down. And Baroness Blitzkrieg was freaked out of her mind.

But that panic drove Baroness Blitzkrieg into exceeding her normal limitations and she broke free of Tefe's snares and knocked the younger woman out. The animals surrounded Tefe and the plants grew around her to shelter her. But Baroness Blitzkrieg snatched Tefe's MLJ identification card off of where it was clipped to her pocket. Seeing the first name, Baroness Blitzkrieg had to wonder why someone with a God fearing Brazilian first name was doing in New York City with the Justice League. Of course Fire had been a Brazilian agent before joining every incarnation of the Justice League Unlimited.

And in the distance Baroness Blitzkrieg spotted the legendary Jaguar from the Amazon rain forest. Baroness Blitzkrieg had heard that the legendary were-creature had been seen in the United States and with the Mighty Crusaders. Now she knew it with certainty.

If Baroness Blitzkrieg's memory served, and it generally did, Tefe matched the description of an activist with identical powers that defended the rain forest until recently when law enforcement officials captured her. Apparently someone had made a deal to deport her rather than incarcerate her.

Baroness Blitzkrieg knew what she had to do about the two women. But she no longer had the desire to do it.

* * *

Unlike her younger friend, Insect Queen knew she didn't want to be in a Justice League. Because a Justice League with even three founders as members was inherently unstable. But that was the very reason she'd stay with them.

Lost in her reflections, Insect Queen didn't notice a weapons port open on Baron Gestapo's Tech Vest. But she did hear and see the weapon's launch. But no insect could intercept in time and Insect Queen herself moving too slowly to do so. And so the micro missile knocked her out.

"Too easy," Baron Gestapo complained.

"But this won't be," Baroness Blood uncoiled her whip, "And it'll even be fun."

* * *

Captain Murder broke through everything Valentina Vostok threw between them. And one Marvel-class punch nearly shattered Valentina's jaw as she went down and cracked her head on the concrete. But that one punch was hardly the only Captain Murder intended to deliver. She desired to deliver hundreds of punches within seconds to make Valentina's head a smear.

* * *

Red Death cast aside his robes and gas tank to reveal modern body armor and firearms. He began his renewed attack on Blue Jay with a machine pistol. Blue Jay was forced down to his bird size and Red Death targeted any surface Blue Jay flittered onto.

Blue Jay was forced into a strategic retreat in order to come at Red Death later after the grotesque deformity stopped shooting at anything and everything that moved. Blue Jay wanted him to think he'd won.

* * *

Faye Morgana's telekinesis and illusion casting magiks were locked in a titanic struggle with Silver Sorceress' spellcasting. Finally both of them wearied and the battle ceased.

"Just leave. I'll tell them you overpowered me. Which isn't far from the truth," Faye offered.

"Funny, I was going to make that same speech to you," Silver Sorceress humorlessly chuckled, "But I don't think it's an option anymore."

Faye turned and was forced to concur.

* * *

Through an astounding array of acrobatic movements that belied his overmuscled bulk, the Hun reclaimed his shield. He hammered away at the Shield with it, using it offensively and then defensively to register a hammer-like blow and then defend against a reply. Finally, a direct hit on Shield's face knocked him out.

The Hun grasped the shield at either end and opted to use it like a _guillotine_. But that was when everything got interrupted. Likewise, the Hun suddenly desired for the Shield to wake up.

* * *

Black Hood had the drop on Firebug it seemed. But reality was otherwise. Firebug remote detonated the pyrotechnic bombs he'd plants on a news van's gas tanks. The concussive wave and shrapnel knocked Black Hood flat. Firebug wanted nothing more than to drag the offensive federal agent into the blaze but he never got the opportunity.

* * *

Madame Libertine got a lucky punch in on Jaguar. Then one became two and more followed. Jaguar seemed to fight on instinct rather than training. And instinct could be fouled by panic. And so Jaguar went down. Madame Libertine took a moment to breathe before finishing her all-too feral foe off.

* * *

Hachiman had never been able to shear War Eagle's wings off but he had opened her side to repay her in kind. But Hachiman's greater reach with his _katana_ had allowed him to dig deeper into her flesh than she had done with him restricted to her fingertip talons alone.

War Eagle began to feel woozy so she withdrew to tend to her wound. But she was knocked out of the sky and fell to earth already unconscious. Hachiman then learned some gifts come with a lethal price.

* * *

Baron Blitzkrieg marshaled every iota of psionic power he had left to him and waged an all out assault against Fly Girl. Only her buzzing about like a literal fly kept her alive for any length of time. When he did manage to subdue her, Baron Blitzkrieg saw Fly Girl was nearly the same age as Baroness Blitzkrieg and his emotions got clouded.

To say Baron Blitzkrieg was weary to the soul was a vast underestimate. His six and a half decade of keeping the dreams of an eventual Thousand Year Reich alive all alone and isolated had eroded Baron Blitzkrieg's desire to see Hitler's dream come alive.

Degaton watered National Socialism down to make it appetizing. Captain Nazi and his thugs saw themselves as a Fourth Reich vanguard when the third had died in infancy and was awaiting resuscitation. And finally, Baron Blitzkrieg was tire of killing children for merely disagreeing with his views.

So he spared Fly Girl and flew across the river into Manhattan where he had a safe house long hidden and unvisited since Kennedy was the US President. After a stop to One Federal Plaza to visit the MLJ offices there, he would depart the United States never to return. He would die in Brazil, his last sanctuary and the birthplace of his precious great-granddaughter.

In a vengeful note, he wanted Fly Girl to always wonder why he'd spared her and for that to erode her cocksure overconfidence.

* * *

"No! No! No!" Web shouted as Dr. Demon fought to hack _his_ action suit's systems. She'd established partial control before he'd bolstered the firewall with a secondary protocol. It had always been theoretically possible for Web to lose control of his suit so he'd had KitCat, on a day she was speaking to him, develop an encrypted lockout.

That neutralized the suit's higher functions. Even the servomotors only operated at a partial capacity to allow him unrestricted movement. But now he was simply a mortal man against Dr. Demon's bionically gifted body. A body composed of more flesh than Dr. Demon was rumored to be.

His scan of her operating systems and neutral interface showed that her arms and legs were cybernetic as well as one eye and an audio canal. Her heart and lungs had also been taken out and replaced. But the bulk of her biology, and its limitations, remained intact. Knowing that, Web planned to simply overwhelm her organic parts and wear her down. The problem was that he had no real idea of how to do so.

The Shield had offered to give him even more instruction in hand-to-hand combat than he currently had as a stepping stone to extremely more advanced lessons from the Fox. Web had scoffed and now his ignorance could kill him…just when he finally had so much to live for. Vowing not to make Rosie a widow before she'd even had a decent husband to be a bride of, Web committed himself to his basic plan and hoped for the best.

* * *

Martian reasoned it out that he couldn't overwhelm Steel Sterling physically and certainly not psychically. So he lured his opponent near some of the power grid lines stretching to the Hall of Justice's auxiliary buildings. The primary trunk lines were cabled underground to prevent what Martian was attempting

He snapped lines and wrapped Steel Sterling up in them. When the Mighty Crusader was bound, and before he could shape shift, Martian applied the live wires to Steel Sterling's metal skin. The resultant feedback surge knocked Brooklyn's power grid, and a portion of Queens, out as well as rendering Steel Sterling unconscious.

* * *

" _We are so forking dead,"_ Rad proclaimed over the radio as the newer arrivals descended on the struggle."

"We stay on task," Buster ordered, "We simply push the crowd even further back. Out into the freeway if need be."

"I'll barricade the road," Plastic Man offered.

* * *

Barda already knew Satan Girl was Kryptonian but she came from Earth-9 and Kryptonians there were far weaker than their otherworldly cousins. Cannon shells and explosives could stun them. Nuclear weapons could kill them. They couldn't fly but bound from placed to place. But even so, Satan Girl fought like a veritable demon.

Which Bekka had reported that Satan Girl was possessed by one after all. It ramped up her rage and her adrenal secretions. Artemis was having a difficult time. She was the Amazonian Wonder Woman but she was still just an Amazon and not a demigoddess like Diana.

Satan Girl had enhanced senses beyond the Kryptonian norm. She knew exactly when attacks were staged behind her and how to counter them. It was like having eyes in the back of her head. And she seemed aware of some plight Per Degaton faced.

Barda hammered away at Satan Girl, finding the Earth-9 alien equal to Barda in relative power but not in fighting acumen. And there was Barda's mega wand. Which Barda resorted to using in sustained blasts on Satan Girl. The problems being Barda drew her weapon's power from her own life forces. Satan Girl's demon wouldn't allow her to retreat. Not even to save the host's life.

Finally, Satan Girl was blown back through a wall no longer able to resist the mega wand's power. Barda sagged, "Check on her."

"She'll live," Artemis reported, "Now I'll find Degaton."

* * *

Supergirl punch a hole through a steel wall next to Degaton's head, "Next time it's you."

"No, there won't be a need of a 'next time'," a mysterious woman said from behind Supergirl.

Her gray skin and glowing red eyes marked her as potentially otherworldy. After all, it seemed a day for it. So Supergirl asked the obvious question, which the woman promptly ignored.

But Degaton provided a name, "I'm dealing with the situation, Grail."

"Luthor is entrenched now," Grail complained, "I'm done with you."

There was an air of finality Supergirl didn't appreciate, "Waitaminute."

Grail's Omega Beams lanced out of her eyes, curved around Supergirl, and struck Degaton. He was broken down on an atomic level and simply ceased to exist as a corporeal life form. Supergirl started towards Grail but this time her Omega Beams merely put Matrix through the reinforced metal wall she'd broken earlier.

But Artemis came on the scene, "Hold!"

She had an arrow nocked and drawn back. Grail chuckled, "Would you really harm a fellow Amazon?"

Artemis hesitated. Her tribe had been founded by Antiope after Hippolyta's husband, Hercules raped her and his men raped every Amazon. But Hippolyta, who'd craved Hercules' sex so badly, was left untouched. That encounter drove a wedge between Hippolyta and Antiope to the point Antiope left Themiscyra and took a contingent of Amazons with her.

And that moment so seared into Hippolyta's heart, she accepted Hades' embrace and bore him a daughter. A daughter Hippolyta swore she would never divulge the truth of her origins to. But Diana learned anyway.

Grail summoned a boom tube without a Mother Box. And it was silently devoid of crashing thunder, "Fare thee well, sister."

And Grail vanished within its embrace. Barda demanded explanations and Artemis told her what she'd seen. Barda's Mother Box analyzed the star gate's resonance and that of Grail's Omega Beams. Only then did she murmur Grail's name in abject horror.

* * *

The Legion of Doom descended down upon the Hall of whatever it would be called after that afternoon concluded. Bizarro and Bizarro Lois came in at Overman as Superman was struggling to his feet.

"What are you vile creatures?" Overman demanded of them.

"Him think me am vile. How romantical of him," Bizarro Lois cooed.

Bizarro hated Overman in that instant, "Me am Bizarro. This me blushing bride, Bizarro Lois. Me am told to kill you. Me am reconsidering. Me think me want to rip you apart one limb at time and leave rest of you alive."

"Him speak poetry," Bizarro Lois gushed, enchanted with Bizarro again.

"Misshapen dolts!" Overman flashed Bizarro with his heat vision, just enough to incinerate human flesh. But the Bizarro clones were made of sterner stuff.

"You am not nice. You am prickly," Bizarro Lois mangled her metaphor as she applied her own heat vision to it.

Fortunately, she had half the ability levels Bizarro displayed. Overman was scorched but only in the realm of an annoying sun burn. Bizarro attacked Overman.

"You insult Lois," he raged. As Overman repulsed him, Bizarro Lois came in for a fight. And they combined their force of two in a general melee that Overman was ashamed to be losing.

* * *

Bizarro Girl had been tapped to deal with Overgirl. Like Overgirl, Bizarro Girl was blended from Kryptonian DNA and human genetics. Essentially, Bizarro Girl had been a young woman you died of gunshot wounds. The Bizarro cloned Kryptonian DNA and infusion process healed those wounds. But the Bizarro process made her the ultimate "dumb blonde".

Overgirl found Bizarro Girl to be a formidable opponent. She was all raw power and no finesse. Overgirl had no way of knowing that Bizarro Girl's process rival, Belinda Zee, had absorbed twisted Kryptonian DNA and remained whole with no physical deformities or degradation of intelligence. And that comparison to Superior Girl sealed Overgirl's fate in Bizarro Girl's limited thinking.

* * *

Superior Girl, thanks to her blended DNA and natural uncharted gen factor, was more than a match for a Marvel or New God. But she didn't rate a Galatea or Kara In-Ze level. However the DNA infusion grated her a portion of an Argoan's exotic vision powers and perceptions.

Brunhilde was equal to her in might and was a superior fighter. Whereas "Superior" Girl relied upon brute force and inferior fighting skills with a growing repertoire of meta-human abilities. All factors engineered for her defeat despite Brunhilde being a blurry reflection of a natural born Valkyrie.

But Belinda Zee relished the thought of finally cutting loose after months of hiding from the world.

* * *

"Look bloke, you may have an iron fist but I've got an arsenal that says you aren't bulletproof or immune to being carved by a blade," Lady Vic challenged Iron Fist, "Let's say we find out, eh?"

Iron Fist shouted his challenge in Japanese as he charged her. Lady Vic drew her sword and achieved first blood, "Seems I was right. I'm almost sorry about this, mate."

* * *

Thaddeus Jr. and Georgia Sivana worked together to spare Anna Fortune's life. But it wasn't an altruistic gesture. They simply wanted the pleasure of the kill themselves.

Captain Nippon was stymied to discover others as powerful than him that weren't Captain Nazi or Baron Blitzkrieg. Obviously, Captain Nippon had not done his research on the modern world. With Kryptonians, Marvels, and Majestic-level gen actives loose in the world, Captain Nippon's advantages were slimming down.

But Captain Nippon did have a distinct leveler. He was a multiple level black belt in karate whereas the Sivanas were barely fighters. Having been relegated to science laboratories by skill and inclination before receiving their powers from dark science and a captured Mother Box.

Back in Imperial Japan, Tojo had learned of Germany's success with meta-humans though the term hadn't been coined yet. Tojo convinced Hirohito of the need to develop Japan's own champions. So Hachiman had been born of science and Captain Nippon had been born of sorcery and alchemy and Iron Fist was born out of dumb luck.

The cabal of sorcerer's recruited by the Dragon King to create a powerful being rivaling Nazi Germany's multiple champions had known of Shazam's experiment with Black Adam. So they employed the same methodology. But instead of appealing to self proclaimed "gods" they went to the spirits indwelling Japan's most beautiful and sacred sites and used Chinese alchemy torn from monks in occupied Manchuria. And Captain Nippon had been the result.

Shazam intervened at the end of the war after Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been bombed. Captain Nippon, Hachiman, and Iron Fist had been ordered to kill as many of the occupying troops as the Allies could land even while Macarthur was receiving Japan's surrender. So the trio had been sealed in a cave they were using as a resistance headquarters. There they agelessly were entombed until Japan's power provider was looking to geothermal alternatives to nuclear power. And the trio was freed when the utility corporation detected power within the mountainside and blasted their way in.

Having seen the impotent creature Japan had become and the spinelessness of the Emperor, the trio left their homeland in disgust. And they searched to have a modern purpose. And then Degaton had proclaimed his message and the trio sought a way to reunite the Axis powers and recreate the Japan of their youths.

But first Captain Nippon had to face the Sivanas. Thad attacked from one side and Georgia from the other. Their efforts were crude but Captain Nippon sensed the danger he was in. It was challenge that would leave the victor standing and the loser dead.

* * *

Atom Smasher awoke to find Giganta laying out a picnic, "Giganta?"

"That's me," came her giddy reply.

"Who are you sharing the picnic with?" Atom Smasher was worried about reinforcements.

"You, silly," Giganta playfully pushed at his shoulder, "Lady Vic wants me to keep you here. I thought lunch would be a good way to do that."

"Keep me away from what?" he asked.

Giganta sighed, "The Legion is dealing with the Nazis and Degaton on behalf of the United Nations. Afterwards, we're supposed to hand you over to the International Security Agency at the Metro Tower so you can be locked up in the GULAG."

"But we haven't been on trial yet," Atom Smasher protested.

"You'll be held in the ultra-max until your trial begins. Even then, you'll appear through a video connection," Giganta shrugged, "Sorry."

"If you're really sorry, help us," Atom Smasher pleaded.

"Hey! Flash chose that other women over me. That breaks any tie I had with you hero types," Giganta pouted, "I am sorry you have to go to jail but you always get in the way and we're going to rule the world after you're gone."

"Luthor won't let us live," Atom Smasher protested.

"Oh, wait and see," Giganta urged.

Al Rothstein felt a cloud of doom over him. He needed to recover quickly. His and Anna's future depended on it.

* * *

Devil Ray had pulled Underwaterman off of killing Atom Smasher and the Nazi was infuriated. So he chose to kill Devil Ray instead. Only the Legionnaire's wrist mounted dart launcher had already put two barbs deep into his flesh and he could feel the toxins they secreted into his system.

But while Devil Ray kept Underwaterman focused upriver, the _Nemo_ came in and its pneumatically powered gatling guns were brought to bear. Devil Ray swam out of the line of fire. As Underwaterman turned he realized the toxins were paralyzing him to the point he couldn't flee.

And Devil Ray thrilled to the sight of an Aquaman dying.

* * *

Gypsy halted her quest to get help as Magnificus Sivana flew in and attacked Master Race. Gypsy was divided on how to proceed. If she left Vibe unattended, he could be killed by one of both of the dueling supermen. Master Race had already demonstrated he could have killed Vibe but he held back for some unfathomable reason.

Magnificus wore a black lightning bolt not unlike a Marvel's but he was definitely hostile. And he was also dimwitted. Master Race seemed a genius by comparison.

Gypsy dragged Vibe into the closest thing that would provide shelter and went back to observing the battle raging nearby. Magnificus was more powerful it seemed but Master Race was more clever by far. Yet he was slowly losing.

Gypsy didn't appreciate Magnificus' lack of restraint. Especially after a drawn out conflict. So she decided to assist Master Race as best she could and depend on his gratitude.

* * *

Atomica slide tackled Crossbow, causing him to lose yet another quarrel. She rolled out from beneath and smashed his hooded face into the pavement. Then she shrank to avoid Laughing Skull. As he tried to locate her, she grew behind him and kicked his legs out from beneath him. Then she drove an elbow into his nose.

Crossbow irritably tried to backhand her but she was already gone, "This one is ruthless."

"I'd say she could side with us but she's out for our blood," Laughing Skull unhappily reported, "Let's just kill the bitch and be done with her."

"Easier said than done," Crossbow took a knee and tucked the butt of his crossbow tightly to his shoulder. It was already drawn so he'd swiftly replaced the bolt. He visually swept the area and there was no sign of Atomica.

"She'll be back when she thinks she can kill one or more of us," Laughing Skull predicted.

"Yes, but what about _him_ do you suppose?" Crossbow inquired.

* * *

A yellow trail of lightning smacked Blitzen down as it raced by. Then Reverse Flash returned and skidded to a halt, "Pardon me, _fraulein_. But I need the Russian alive."

"And who are you?" Blitzen wondered, "The Flash that she drones on about?"

"No, I'm the improved model. I'm the Reverse Flash ad she'll drone on about me if she ever beds me like she did him," Reverse Flash predicted.

"Then where is the Flash? I hear there are several," Blitzen was confused.

"My contemporary is missing. His mentor is dead and the oldest of them all is currently hilariously dubbed 'the Fastest Man Alive'. Please, a touch of reality is needed," he scoffed.

"And are there others like you?" Blitzen asked.

"Milady, you wound me," Reverse Flash shuddered, "My predecessor is called Rival because he is the ultimate rival to the eldest Flash."

"Your world is very confusing," Blitzen was forced to admit.

Reverse Flash brightened, "So you're a refugee from another Earth. That explains everything. History foretold the destruction of the multiverse. But it was only recorded by a handful of survivors," Reverse Flash explained.

"And this woman, what is she to you?" Blitzen asked.

"It may not seem so now, but Ivanka Christina Borodin Molotova will be my bride someday," he laughed.

"So you weren't just boasting when you made that remark about bedding you,:" Blitzen understood.

Blitzen drove a hypervelocity punch towards Lady Flash's head and Reverse Flash moved even faster than she could comprehend to catch her wrist, "Don't do that again."

"But you know of the danger to come and yet you claim to be from the future," Blitzen rose and stepped back away from Lady Flash.

"History is divided into fixed points and flux points. They were different for every Earth. What's to come, dubbed the Crisis in my time, is a flux point. So everything can be changed and the end of the universe can still happen thereby erasing time," Reverse Flash told her.

Blitzen tried to punch him but he was already behind her, "I'm the truest Flash of any era. I'll leave you alive to harass my enemies. But threaten me or mine ever again and you'll have survived the destruction of your universe only to die in this one."

Blitzen raced off and left New York and kept running.

Reverse Flash let her go. He'd meet her again after the Crisis resolved itself one way or another. Because, after all, he could be the only speedster in any time.

* * *

"Hi there," one hundred Multiplexes said to Baroness Blitzkrieg as she watched over Tefe.

"And you are?" she couldn't remember.

"I/we are Multiplex," he /they answered in unison.

"Are you a hive mind?" Baroness Blitzkrieg was intrigued.

"Hardly," one voice answered.

"I/we offer you the chance to join as an auxiliary to the Legion of Doom to rule beside us when we take control of this planet," he/they said.

"No," Baroness Blitzkrieg told him.

"No?" all one hundred were confused.

She broke into action and in thirty seconds had struck thirty Multiplexes. They dissolved into crystals. She looked expectant.

"Interesting,' Multiplex replied, "But I can simply do this, "He duplicated another one hundred and twenty times.

"Care to change your mind?" the annoying chorus of voices asked.

"No," Baroness Blitzkrieg refused to be persuaded.

And she exploded into action once more now that she knew which Multiplex was the Prime all the rest stemmed from.

* * *

The triplet act of Skylark interfered before Baroness Blood could begin whipping Insect Queen's flesh away, "I'll deal with them."

"Careful, I've heard of this trio. They nearly killed the Arrow before he became the Green Arrow and a wanted killer," Baron Gestapo warned her.

Even with the super soldier serum in her veins and with her steel tipped whip, Baroness Blood found a single Skylark to be a challenge.

The other two advanced on Baron Gestapo, "I do not wish to fight such fine examples of Aryan breeding."

"Outdated racism," one warned as the other kicked him in the face.

They were too close to use his damaged tech vest so he pulled a backup piece out of a discreet holster and tried to shoot at least one of them. One disarmed him while the other knocked him around.

"Care to die?" the gun toting Skylark asked.

Baroness Blood heard the shot just as a second Skylark engaged her. Then she began to dodge bullets. As expert a shot as the third Skylark was, Baroness Blood was faster than a mere human. And her whip knocked the gun out of the stripling girl's hand. But Baroness Blood retreated anyway.

"She ran away," a Skylark said.

"Too bad. She was good exercise," a second remarked.

"Now, who is this and do we kill her?" the third asked about Insect Queen.

* * *

"And who are you supposed to be?" Captain Murder paused to ask Shayla Kor-Onn.

The Kryptonian told her and Captain Murder shook her head, "Can't your people just go extinct and get it over with?"

"The entire world will tremble before me," Shayla predicted.

"Yep, I'm quaking," Captain Murder drolly replied. They met in the air and the thunderclap of their mutual blows knocked Valentina Vostok over. She was wondering how to conjure some green kryptonite. The two antagonists landed facing one another warily.

Captain Murder staunched her bloody nose, "Finally. A real challenge."

"You're no Kryptonian," Shayla accused.

"No, but I'm still going to kill you one piece at a time. It's what I do," Captain Murder promised.

Then they rained blows down upon each other at super speed.

* * *

"Oh, let the poor boy live," Breathtaker asked of Red Death.

Blue Jay wondered who the hell she was.

Red Death couldn't tell what was more striking, her daring attire, her flaming red hair, or her blue skin. He chose the skin.

"We shouldn't fight," he urged her.

"We won't," she snapped her fingers and all the air sucked out of his lungs and he desperately tried to breathe with two collapsed lungs and found he couldn't.

She kneeled beside his prostrate form, "You should choose your friends more wisely in the next life. And _you_ should've forgotten about trying to capture me."

Blue Jay stood so advised.

* * *

"Friends of yours?" Faye Morgana asked Silver Sorceress.

"Tala and her unknown friend aren't my allies. They're opponents," Silver Sorceress shared.

"Oh, I'll leave you all to it then," Faye remarked. A mystic energy bolt crackled past her.

"You don't know my name?" Lady Spellbinder was mortally insulted, "I should kill you for that."

"Should I know it?" Silver Sorceress asked.

Tala put a restraining arm before Lady Spellbinder, "Hello again, Laura."

"I see your companions are as malicious as ever," Silver Sorceress replied.

"We both travel in rarified circles these days," Tala stated, "We're actually here for her."

"Me?" Faye squeaked.

"I thought you were mythical and yet here you are," Tala spoke.

"I only wish I were mythical," Faye confessed.

"Yet you serve the swastika," Tala remarked.

Faye knew from Tala's accent her country of origin had been occupied in the war, "They pay well enough."

"I see," Tala was subdued, "I'm willing to let you both walk away if you leave now."

"Not without Blue Jay," Silver Sorceress stipulated.

"They'll only kill me if any of them survive," Faye clarified.

"Why do you always have to be so bothersome?" Tala sighed.

"Okay, I can evade them," Faye reconsidered, "But I'm still wanted for war crimes. Disappear them and we're golden."

"I prefer to duel," Tala groaned, "If only to relieve my growing headache."

"If we live through this, I can be very persuasive in the Hague," Silver Sorceress promised.

"Okay then," Faye chose her side.

Lady Spellbinder looked thrilled.

* * *

"Leave him be," Black Sivana commanded the Hun.

The Hun decided to strike anyway and Black Sivana moved to intercept and was a blur to the Hun's eyes. Then Black Sivana hurled the Hun across the parking garage. The Nazi tucked and rolled and came onto his feet with his shield at the ready to block a future blow. He was outraged at being prevented from killing his foe.

" _Vas is los_?" the Hun finally registered Black Sivana's tusked visage.

"Leave now or I will break every bone in your Nazi body," Black Sivana warned him.

The Hun responded by hurling his shield at Black Sivana. Who easily caught it and sent it spinning through the air back at the Hun. Only the Hun's affinity for the relic kept him from being cut in half by it.

"Monster!" the Hun cried out in outrage.

Black Sivana had had enough of the Hun. He wanted to test not only himself but the strength of the fabled Shield of Attila and the Hun himself. The formerly diminutive Dr. Sivana had been proverbially dying to test out his muscles now that he had some.

* * *

Firebug had retrieved two gas cans he'd stowed away as a reserve weapon. Before he could pour the gasoline over Black Hood, he poured a circle around his foe. But a flare struck him like a bullet and Firebug dropped the gas can. The flare ignited the gasoline circle and the gas within the can.

The chemical reaction of combustion tore apart the flimsy metal gas can. It acted as a fragmentation grenade and shredded Firebug. Signalman approached and poured the remaining can's gasoline over Firebug perforated protective suit. And then he used a second flare to ignite that load of gas.

Firebug's fireman gear served to prolong his agonies rather than protect him from them. He couldn't register Signalman speaking to him, "You're unlucky that Luthor wants to spare this one. He doesn't deem it advisable to piss off President McKay until the Justice League is disposed of. But Luthor won't tolerate rivals either. So you just happened to swear allegiance to the wrong guy at exactly the wrong time to do so. Have an unpleasant afterlife. I'm certain this is just a preview."

Signalman strode off to other appointments then.

* * *

"Ya always were a hottie," Atomic Skull told Madame Libertine, "Maybe if ya gave me a BJ that rocked my world I'd let ya live."

"Go to hell," Madame Libertine spat at him.

"Ya's be surprised at how many take me up on that offer," Atomic Skull assured her, "They even sell off their stained tops ta the highest bidder on them internet auction sites. If they don't swallow that is."

Madame Libertine's right cross spoke volumes.

"Fine," he worked his exposed jaw, "Ya wanna play rough, then let's do this. I can do BDSM."

Atomic Skull's fist smashed into her face and drove her to one knee, "Ya reconsiderin' my offer yet?"

She punched his crotch, "No."

Atomic Skull's skull burned a little greener than normal and he gasped, "Yer gonna regret this."

She gave him another right cross, "I doubt it."

* * *

Sparrow Hawk allowed War Eagle to flutter to the ground. She'd brought a Nth metal mace, sword, and spear to the party. And she found it amusing that she'd stolen them all from Carter Hall. Her great rival dug the relics up in Egypt and stored them away for her to take and use. Only he didn't know who'd taken them yet.

But Hawkman still had several of each to spare. He was intelligent enough to become an expert with an arsenal rather than a single weapon. Shayera Hol limited herself to the mace and while she was undoubtedly a greater expert with it than Danya Helstrom she refused to wield other weapons even when given the opportunity to. Hawkman found it as frustrating as Sparrow Hawk was amused by it.

But Shayera might venture back into the field upon seeing Sparrow Hawk had adapted her Hawkgirl outfit and helmet to her own needs rather than continue to wear Thanagarian military livery. Sparrow Hawk sincerely hoped so. She'd sworn to kill the former Hawkgirl.

But Carter was another matter. A completely other matter. He was the closest thing to a Thanagarian male to be found on this world. The Thanagarians of this universe were scattered abroad, refugees across the stars. Danya's own universe was long since past being obliterated from existence. And the refugees of this universe were considered the alien trash of the galaxy. They were broken and beaten.

Which made Carter's appeal increase. He was known as the "Savage" Hawkman in New Mexico. Which meant he was embracing more than his reincarnated self, he was also embracing his Thanagarian nature. And his transformation was complete because Danya had learned his wings were natural now rather than the cumbersome harness he'd worn before.

So Hawkman was becoming more and more like Katar Hol had once been. And his appeal to Sparrow Hawk was becoming more and more irresistible. She might even let him live if he pleasured her often and to her expectations.

Hachiman had been following War Eagle on foot but while he'd expected War Eagle's fall he hadn't anticipated facing a second winged opponent. A heavily armed opponent at that. Suddenly, Hummingbird flew up behind him with the axe Sparrow Hawk had been training her to use. Sparrow Hawk issued the ultimatum, "Walk now or be destroyed."

"The eagle woman is mine," Hachiman felt his honor was being stained.

"War Eagle is under our protection now, _Mon ami_ ," Hummingbird advised him, "Keep that in mind as you decide what to do next."

Hachiman energized his sword and Sparrow Hawk smiled, "I was hoping you'd choose the path of resistance."

Hachiman attacked her.

* * *

"Step away from the one they call the Fox," Blackwing declared.

Fox felt as confused as Leatherwing looked. Blackwing recognized Thomas Wayne's body language. It seemed it was universal on any Earth.

"I'll defeat him and then you," Leatherwing declared.

"I'll sit this one out," Fox decided.

"As much as I'd prefer you too, it would aggrieve the President and weaken our bid for voluntary world domination," Blackwing wondered why he was explaining. He'd dreamt of killing Owlman. And this was him of a sorts.

"Bah! You should be hiding behind a skirt with the other women," Leatherwing sneered.

"Really? You want to be a six year old about it?" Blackwing was insulted on Owlman's behalf. He expected more out of Leatherwing. Like an honest to God challenge not childishness.

Finally Leatherwing launched into the attack Blackwing had been goading him into. And he blindly rushed into it. Blackwing knew he'd won before it began.

Fox waited patiently studying every move and reason behind it. Blackwing desperately wanted to fight him rather than the oafish Leatherwing. But the Other had decided Luthor's plan was sound.

* * *

Enforcer arrived as Baron Blitzkrieg departed. She was under orders not to engage Fly Girl and the government agent began to rouse as Enforcer's boot thrusters wound down, "Wake up. You get a free pass unlike the Justice League. So use it wisely and stay out of our way."

Fly Girl was groggy but not so groggy as to miss the threat in those words.

* * *

While Web couldn't hack Dr. Demon's bionics, Byte easily did so. Byte very pleasantly ignored Web's presence, since she maintained the lock outs Dr. Demon had imposed on his action suit, and solely addressed Dr. Demon, "Let's have a chat about your immediate future. Your mentor became Dr. Demon partly out of necessity and coupled it with choice. You voluntarily sacrificed organs and limbs to become the next Dr. Demon after she died."

Byte paused for effect and Web had to wonder how old was this kid. Byte elaborated her point, "The original Dr. Demon worked beside the Legion of Doom. You're no real Nazi so there's no harm in giving you the opportunity to chose the same as your beloved teacher. Be a true protégé and exceed all expectations."

"Release me and you won't have a future," Dr. Demon snarled.

"That's your grandiose reply? A simple meaningless threat? I had such hopes for you but I'll give you second to reconsider," Byte cheerfully offered.

Dr. Demon looked stricken, "I…uh..what have you done to me?"

"I shut down your coronary pump. In other words, your artificial heart," Byte was nonchalant.

"How…could...you?" Dr. Demon strained to ask.

"How could I stop your heart or how could I casually murder you? Or is that all one question?" Byte wanted to know.

Dr. Demon could barely grunt.

"That's enough I think," Byte stated.

Web assumed Dr. Demon's heart restarted because she began to lose the bluish tint she'd acquired. Byte was still completely pleasant despite almost killing the object of her attention, "Now, I can simply end your existence and tear your components apart or you can accept the generous offer being granted to you and I'll leave you alive while I examine your cybernetic designs."

"Why me?" Dr. Demon wondered why she was receiving the seemingly unwarranted attention.

"Because you're special," Byte told her, "And I convinced Luthor you'd have a future in the Legion of Doom. Or partnered with it."

"I'm…listening," Dr. Demon seemed to choose self preservation.

"Oh, and just to be fair…I downloaded a virus into your systems. If you ever try to attack or kill me, your heart will be stopped again and it'll be beyond salvaging," Byte told her, "Okay?"

Web could believe someone barely old enough to drive could be so deadly. He wondered what Jane would have become on her own forever. Would she have casually taken lives as well?

* * *

Volkssturm found his electrical power warped back into himself. And he was hardly immunized to it. Dr. Polaris created a hum as he settled down.

"Far too easy, Sparky," Dr. Polaris gloated, "Magnetism warps electrical current. So I own your ass."

Volkssturm tried shocking Dr,. Polaris directly but it came back him. Dr. Polaris shook his head, "What? Are you just too stupid to live?"

"What do you want?" Volkssturm grated.

"I want to offer you greatness," Dr. Polaris shared, "Are we listening yet?"

* * *

"Who are you?" Martian asked Volcana as strode up to him.

"What? Can't you read my mind?" she mocked him. Her own pyrokinesis made her immune to psionic powers, "Guess what I can do?"

"You can leave or die. I do not care which you choose," Martian replied.

"J'onn Jonzz was humorless too. But I had way to get what I wanted out of him," Volcana prided herself, "And what I wanted was a scream."

The air all around Martian ignited and he did scream. She kept up the pressure and he slowly tried to crawl to the river. But he died before ever reaching its banks.

"That could have gone better," Volcana shrugged as she began uncoiling the power lines from around Steel Sterling, "This has to be the most idiotic thing Luthor has ever asked for."

* * *

Killer Frost had stopped hearing gasps, screams, swearing, grunts, exclamations and torrents of X-Rated profanity so she thought it was safe to check on the kids. Ace of Blades was mostly dressed but Sir Justin was down to just his Calvin Klein underwear. Tessa's choice obviously.

Ace of Blades drew her sword out of her scabbard, "What do you want?"

Sir Justin fumbled around for his broadsword. He was beet red and utterly uncoordinated from embarrassment. Killer Frost wore a bland expression.

"Sleeping with the enemy is hardly new," Killer Frost advised them, "It's actually quite enjoyable."

"Why are you interrupting us?" Ace of Blades was still defensive.

"I could have interpreted you were done after, but not, during the successive, 'Oh my gods' or the 'hell yeah, baby' phases," Killer Frost told her, "Which do you prefer?"

"You're one sick fu…" Ace of Blades had an ice block build around her. Killer Frost wagged a finger, "Language. Oh, and by the way, that could've just as easily been you."

"I still repeat the question," Ace of Blades insisted.

"Well, since they're here already, I'll turn things over to the Legion of Doom," Killer Frost turned to confront Lady Lunar, Casey Krinsky, and Toyman.

Toyman had brought an army of life size green army men. Sir Justin wore his underwear. Ace of Blades had her tank top and panties. But both wielded their swords.

"Stand fast, my boon companions. These base villains shall not vanquish us so long as our hearts remain pure," Sir Justin proclaimed.

"And you've just gotten some," Killer Frost snickered, "And by the way, gag me on the speech `cause by that criteria we're all screwed. Again in your cases."

"No, he gagged me. Several times," Ace of Blades was being petty and Killer Frost could care less.

"If you want me to walk and leave you to it, just say so," Killer Frost.

"Um…perhaps I've been too harsh," Ace of Blades relented.

"Good because I did not need to know you went deep throat," Killer Frost complained.

"You can go, Killer Frost," Lady Lunar offered, "But the knight and the Nazi are ours."

"Here's the thing, I may or may not still be a JLer by tomorrow morning," Killer Frost replied.

"You? In the Justice League?" Lady Lunar thought was utterly hilarious, "Have they reviewed your personal body count?"

"It's a sticky point but we're managing," Killer Frost told her.

"Hell, I've always liked and respected you. You don't take guff from anyone. Walk away, I'm actually pleading with you. Don't make it personal and die for it," Lady Lunar stated.

"So the Legion replaced the JLU at the UN?" Killer Frost sought clarification.

"It is what it is," Lady Lunar shrugged.

"You want me to leave awfully bad. Which makes me want to stay just to piss you off," Killer Frost admitted, curious as to why they wanted her to exit so badly.

You just don't get it, do you?" Lady Lunar was frustrated.

"I get it just fine," Killer Frost released a cold wave to freeze up all the army men. The Legionnaires caught the edges of the wave. The subzero temperatures cracked the plastic skin of the army and broke down their clockwork innards.

"Dammit! I wanted to play nice but you always have to be the bitch!" Lady Lunar fumed.

"Yup," Killer Frost promised her. She froze a block of air surrounding Lady Lunar only leaving her head shoulders out of it.

Lady Lunar struggled to concentrate but she managed to increase the local gravity around the ice and shatter it under its own weight. She stood shivering looking for Killer Frost.

"Where are you?" she shouted.

"Right here," Killer Frost pulled Lady Lunar to her by the lapels and kissed her. Thereby freezing Lady Lunar solid, "I've been meaning to do that for a while. Sorry though, I have that affect on all my dates."

* * *

Sir Justin chased the hapless Toyman around while striking heroic poses in his underwear for Ace of Spades' benefit. And she really wished he would stop. It was distracting.

* * *

Casey came from behind Ace of Blades so she swung her saber to behead the teenager. It barely nicked her neck.

"Ow, you're stronger than you look," Casey complained.

Ace of Blades hadn't revealed to the Fourth Reich she was injected with the same serum that created Captain Nazi. It wasn't a partial success like Baroness Blood. And it had practically halted her aging process. She'd endured West and East Germany and the laughable reunification. Eventually she immigrated to the United States and became a fencing instructor several times over. She'd found she needed to relocate with new forged credentials and identification ever twenty years or so.

She'd been in love dozens of times and finally settled for robust sex as often as she could get it. Sir Justin had been a thrilling lover, in an archaic sort of way, but she wasn't looking for long term. If it hadn't been for their bargain, she would have killed him already. But now this strange girl withstood her strongest blow and she was a match for Madam Libertine or Captain Murder.

Killer Frost intervened and Casey grabbed her elbow. She turned bluish while Killer Frost slowly sank to her knees and weakly asked, "What?"

"I'm a power vampire. Don't worry you'll feel fine again in a minute," Casey promised, "If I haven't killed you by then."

"Why ?" Ace of Blades asked.

"I was supposed to be the original, and only, Firestorm's girlfriend. That witch Firehawk never appreciated him," Casey raged, "So now I'm killing every would-be Firestorm to honor my snookum's memory."

"I don't think so," Killer Frost surged to her feet and planted a hand between Casey's breasts.

"What? Get off me you dyke!" Casey grated.

"Truer words were never spoken, lovely," Killer Frost grabbed hold of Casey's shoulder to keep her grip on the girl.

And Casey was suddenly pink skinned and rosy cheeked, "What the hell?"

"I'm a heat vampire. I just projected all of my stored heat into with just enough left over to keep from freezing over." Killer Frost released and turned to Ace of Blades, "All yours."

Ace of Blades used the pommel to her sword as a set of brass knuckles and she put the girl down. Sir Justin came by and threatened to run her through. Killer Frost stepped in, "Whoa, big boy! This is my line and I decline to use it."

A robed figure appeared in the air above them and Sir Justin wailed, "Merlin! Why art thou here?"

"Thou've lost thy way, Sir Justin. Thou art no longer needed in this era. Should there be a future, thou shalt need be in it," Merlin commanded, "Thy steed awaits thee and thou shalt find thy way once more at Camelot. And thou will reforge thyself into a weapon worthy to be from Camelot and thou shalt guide the future if thy art needed once again."

Sir Justin, and it would be discovered that his chainmail and padding as well, vanished in a second. Ace of Blades faced Killer Frost, "You're a worthy foe and an even greater ally."

"You don't strike me as the Nazi type," Killer Frost observed.

"There was a time," Ace of Blades said ruefully, "But I've paid off any dharmic role I owed Hitler. Now maybe I should concentrate on the karmic debt variety."

"Just go," Killer Frost urged.

"Aren't you going to kiss me? I know you've been wanting to," Ace of Blades smirked.

Killer Frost roughly grabbed her by the jaw and kissed her. Ace of Blades shivered but didn't freeze over. Killer Frost smirked.

"I'd guessed you were more than human," she said.

Ace of Blades dressed in seconds and rushed back to Killer Frost and she also smirked, "You could say that."

Then she flew off towards the west. Killer Frost sighed, "Here I go again."

* * *

Blackstarr appeared within the Hall of reclaimed Justice. She examined Degaton's atomic remains. Barda confronted Blackstarr.

"Hold it right there," she growled.

"Or?" Blackstarr wondered.

Barda fired her energy wand. The bolt stopped in midair. Blackstarr began to examine it, "Curious blend of quantum energies. But I detect life essence churning within them. I'm done with it. You can have it back."

The bolt reversed course and struck Barda down. Blackstarr clucked her tongue, "It seems you can't absorb your own essence."

"Nice trick," Barda grated as she struggled to rise off of her hands and knees.

"I don't need tricks," the youthful Blackstarr promised her, "Would you believe I'm an otherwise normal seventy-four year old woman? But I deduced the true nature of the Unifield Energy Theory. And that knowledge allowed me to become what I am today."

Barda would have pegged her as a mid-twentysomething. Mother Box controlled aspects of the Unifield Energy Theory. It's where she drew her power from. Could it really be this transformative?

"You're insane," Barda accused.

"No, I'm a realist. The Neo Nazi movements appreciate beauty, not age. And I'm Jewish, so that's more than just a minor stigma to them. But when they learn of my power and devotion to National Socialism, they listen," Blackstarr proclaimed, "My kindred Jews were exterminated like the vermin they were and still are. If they would only see the incredible beauty of racial purity, they would do the world an immeasurable service and kill themselves."

"And what about you?" Artemis entered with her bow drawn.

"Shouldn't you kill yourself as well?" Supergirl asked.

"It took the real Supergirl to stop me before. She's off in the Cosmos now pretending to be a White Lantern but we all know red is her natural color," Blackstarr mockingly replied, "But racial imperatives always win any argument."

"Not now," Artemis declared.

"Not ever," Supergirl's telekinetic eye beams lashed out and knocked Blackstarr off of her feet.

The woman lithely rose again, "So it's true. You aren't Kryptonian."

"And you killed my lord and lover," Satan Girl managed to gain entrance.

Before Blackstarr could explain, Satan Girl released her Hellfire Vision and then her soul sucking Aether Breath. Blackstarr deflected both, " _Auf wedesen_."

She vanished without a trace. Flames erupted around Satan Girl and the floor opened in flames and Satan Girl had descended into the netherworld. The floor sealed after her passage.

"Anyone want to talk about her powers?" Supergirl asked, "Because they weren't Kryptonian."

"No, the base was Kryptonian but her demon warped them into something hellspawned," Barda remarked.

"And green kryptonite didn't kill her," Artemis ruefully commented regarding the rock she'd placed beside the unconscious Satan Girl.

"You should have asked me or Superman," Supergirl advised them, "Kryptonite is specific to universes and inhabitants. Our kryptonite doesn't affect Kryptonians from another universe the same way. Think of it as watered down gruel. Painful or annoying but hardly lethal."

"She's loose anyway," Wonder Woman said, "And Blackstarr with her."

"We need to know more about both," Barda decided.

"She's the last survivor of Earth-9," Supergirl reminded everyone, "Where can you get information on her or Blackstarr?"

"Blackstarr is easy," Artemis stated, "Steve explained the significance of those numbers tattooed on her forearm near her wrist. She's a Nazi extermination camp survivor."

"And she's a Nazi?" Supergirl yelped.

"There's a whole story behind that I'm guessing," Artemis replied.

"You memorized the number sequence?" Barda asked.

"Of course," Artemis sounded insulted anyone could doubt her.

"I'll consult Mother Box regarding Satan Girl," Barda said grimly, "It will require me to travel to New Genesis."

"Won't that be a happy reunion?" Supergirl asked.

"No," Barda said tersely.

"Oh," Supergirl was crestfallen.

* * *

"Here comes the freak show," Silver advised Buster.

Mad Hatter slipped amongst the crowd offering them hats to shelter themselves from the midday sun. Each in some fashion had a swastika emblazoned upon it. Giving the neophyte adherents a means to support Degaton besides lamely created slogans and march chants.

When Mad Hatter ran out of hats to pass around, he abandoned his trolley cart and activated the hidden circuitry within each hat and controlled the wearer's mind utilizing the psionic transceiver built into the band of his own top hat. Then he pitted them against the Web Agents.

Mad Hatter took the center of the milling crowd. Psycho Pirate took the eastern edge and used his Medusa Mask to enrage the protesters and send them against the same vastly outnumbered Wed Agents and JLer. To the west, Fright used gaseous fear toxins to stampede the crowd towards their foes.

But the target was Plastic Man alone. So Count Vertigo tested his new inducer and applied it liberally to the Web Agents alone. Their status as federal agents immunized them, theoretically, from the Legion's wrath. But Count Vertigo was the first to recognize that the Legion's grip on the crowd was tenuous at best.

"Pull your stuff together, people!" Buster shouted down the line, "Engage Riot Protocol Five."

Everyone exchanged magazines full of full metal jacketed lead for rubber bullets. Buster called out again, "Do not fire without express orders."

Plastic Man spotted Count Vertigo. He was immune to the inner ear displacement inducer that Vertigo used. So he plucked it off of the Count's belt and smashed it on the ground. Count Vertigo wisely opted for discretionary valor.

"I'll contain the crowd as bet I can but there will be spillover to either side," Plas advised Buster.

"Our thanks," Buster was grateful to have her sense of normality back. Or at least as much as she could with two thousand people stampeding to kill her, "Big Daddy, take Gunny, Silver, and Jump and secure the western border of Plastic Man's barricade. Rad and Rowdy, you're on me. Wild Bill, go high and located the minds behind this. Patch in to Wells and get his drones active."

Plas now understood why the least experienced agent was in command. Karen Thomas had barely become a Web Host before being incarcerated and made part of Task Force X. She'd been assigned as the field leader of the newly created Web Agency upon her release. And moments like these were why.

* * *

Superman pulled Bizarro Lois off of Overman, freeing him up to deal with Bizarro, "If there's any trace of Lois left in you, stop it it!"

But Bizarro Lois struggled all the more because Lois Lane's love for Superman had been transferred ot Bizarro during the resurrection of Lois' corpse. And her fear and loathing of Bizarro became that for Superman. And Superman was blocking her from assisting against Overman.

Overman had delivering an epic beating to Bizarro. Superman hated to do it but he released Bizarro Lois and halted Overman, "No killing. Not on my world or my watch."

The Bizarros limped away. Overman spat at Superman's boots, "This is why you'll lose."

"But not today," Superman replied.

"Do you really think you can arrest me?" Overman scoffed.

"If I had to but I was hoping you'd surrender," Superman confessed.

Overman found that concept hilarious.

* * *

Bizarro Girl got back into the fight and wrapped her hands around Overgirl's throat and squeezed with all of her considerable might. When Overgirl was half insensate, Bizarro Girl released her and Overgirl dropped to her knees and began coughing. Bizarro Girl slid behind Overgirl and in one swift move snapped her neck. Overgirl fell lifelessly to the ground.

A green Piledriver smashed Bizarro Girl into the pavement. Seeing Green Lantern had recovered, Bizarro Girl decided to step back and see what John Stewart would do next. And as expected, he checked on Overgirl's well being.

John found she was dead. And he knew there would be hell to pay.

* * *

The Ring of Volthoom's incessant screaming woke Jessica Cruz up. Superior Girl felt fear as she fought Brunhilde. And the Valkyrie also felt fear at facing such a formidable foe. Power Ring granted her ring permission to feed. And it created constructs manifesting both women's worst fears.

Superior Girl screamed in abject horror but the Ring of Volthoom wouldn't release her. Brunhilde tried to fight back, and even targeted Power Ring but the ring protected Jessica. Finally when it was at full strength, the ring obeyed Jessica's mandate to leave its victims alive.

Superior Girl fled the scene. Brunhilde found she couldn't penetrate Power Ring's defenses and so she summoned her winged steed, "We'll cross paths again, Ring Bearer."

Flying into the sky, she entered a portal and vanished from sight. Jessica glanced around to see how her fellow JLers were faring and she spotted John kneeling next to the body. But Overgirl wasn't just anybody.

She approached, "What do you think this Overman will say?"

"I'm more worried about how many millions he'll kill," John said grimly.

* * *

Iron Fist saw General Glory rise and he fled rather face the General and Lady Vic together. Lady Vic held her sword at the ready, "I suggest you just surrender and make it easier on yourself."

Despite all of her years of training and the past decade of wartime experience, she never saw General Glory move nor had she a countermeasure to prevent him pinning her the floor. He had her ass in the air and his boot on her face as he pushed it into the concrete.

"Be a good girl and pass out," he told her.

Her face colored with impotent rage and embarrassment. But he scraped his boot from her face to her throat and pinched off her airway. As her vision tunneled she knew she might not ever wake again. And she was ashamed of how she would die.

After Lady Vic was unconscious, General Glory knelt next to her, "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Anna Fortune awoke to find the Sivana twins fighting Captain Nippon. Or at least, their essence was pure Sivana but their appearances and powers belied that fact. Anna teleported the siblings to the polar ice cap and Captain Nippon fled from her. Anna just hoped it would take Thad and Georgia some time to reach New York.

* * *

Giganta spotted the Bizarros fleeing and then Superior Girl tearing out of Brooklyn, "It seems our time is up. I enjoyed having lunch with you. We really should do it again sometime."

"You're really going to just pack it up and leave?" Atom Smasher asked.

"I was hoping you'd help before the drug takes effect," Giganta told him.

"You drugged me?" Atom Smasher was so disappointed.

"It wasn't my idea," Giganta protested, "But Hauser wanted to test his latest development."

"But what about you?" Atom Smasher felt it working. He had for a while now and just hadn't realized it yet.

"I took an antidote before we began," Giganta admitted, "Sorry."

Atom Smasher fell forward and was struggling to stay conscious. He was aware of Giganta leaning over him to whisper in his ear, "Don't tell the Flash."

Atom Smasher succumbed at that point.

* * *

Gypsy had drug Vibe to the other side of the facility's power plant. There she attempted to revive him, "C'mon, wake up."

There was no reply so she shook harder, "Vibe, snap out of it."

Getting nothing from him, she patted his cheek, "Any time now, Ramone."

She heard someone go through a concrete wall so she slapped Vive as hard as she could, "Wake up already, Cisco."

"Did you just slap me?" Vibe blearily asked.

"Who, me?" Gypsy played innocent.

"I know you yelled at me," Vibe was definitely coming out of it.

"You weren't responding to nice," Gypsy advised him.

"So you did slap me," Vibe returned to that point.

"Can we move past this before we die?" she asked.

Another tremendous crash sounded like the generators had just been crushed by a flying body.

"You called called me Cisco. Out in the open," Vibe wasn't done yet.

"You'd have done the same," Gypsy replied.

"Except you won't tell me your name," Vibe pointed out.

"Cynthia," Gypsy blurted, "Or Cindy. Happy now?"

"Yeah, kinda," Vibe had to admit.

"Can we return to this when we aren't facing imminent death?" Gypsy wondered.

Magnificus came through the wall behind Vibe. He studied the Sivana, "Who the hell is that?"

"I don't know but he's a bad guy. That's all that counts," Gypsy stated.

"What have we got?" Vibe asked.

Master Race came through the hole and Magnificus punched him down.

"Not him," Vibe groaned.

"Him the closest thing to a friend that we have here," Gypsy advised him.

"Is this guy some kind of Marvel,?" Vibe wondered.

"You tell me," Gypsy retorted.

"Holy…!" Vibe explained afterwards, "Let me change the vibrational frequency to something visible. A tunneled portal appeared over Magnificus and black lightning streamed from it to him, "That ain't natural."

"Really? You think?" Gypsy asked drolly, "Can you screw with it?"

"It's basically a boom tube so yeah, I can probably break it," it shattered and Magnificus reverted back to being an average Sivana.

"God, these are the moments why I love you," Gypsy threw her arms around Vibe and gave him a very celebratory kiss.

"You love me now," Vibe smirked.

"Damn, I knew you were going to latch onto that," Gypsy sighed, "Stay here."

She blocked Master Race's path, "Hello! We'll let the weinerschnitzel run away today. And then you can as well," Gypsy offered.

"He can?" Vibe was indignant.

She made a cutting motion across her throat, "Don't mind him. He has a head injury."

"Very well, _liebchen_. I will go. Not because of him but because you asked me to do so politely," Master Race said, "But I shall return."

"So looking forward to it," Gypsy rolled her eyes, "Just leave, please."

Master Race leapt away and covered several square blocks before landing and bounding again.

"So…Cynthia…" Vibe sidled up to her.

"Don't make me regret telling you," Gypsy warned him, "No one has used my real name since my parents died."

"I thought you were a runaway when the JLU first recruited you," Vibe puzzled it out.

"I was. Then the first JLU shut down and J'onn convinced me to go home," Gypsy shared, "Team Luthor came for them while I was late getting home from school. I saw them dragging the bodies out, Afterwards J'onn looked out for me."

No wonder Gypsy was so standoffish. Everyone she cared about died, Vibe realized. It made their burgeoning relationship even more special.

"My youngest brother also had the vibration abilities but he auditioned for the Legion of Doom. And failed. So Luthor had him killed," Vibe reminded her.

"So screw Luthor," Gypsy grinned,

"But not literally," Vibe shuddered.

"You are such a dick," Gypsy laughed.

"Maybe. But I'm fun," Vibe was building towards a point, "That's why you love me. Most of the time when you're not slapping me."

Gypsy sighed.

* * *

Atom came to to find Atomica standing over Laughing Skull's corpse with a bloody hand, "What did you do?"

Atomica grabbed Crossbow's weapon and fired it. Atom rolled to avoid being shot by it. When he stopped, Atomica was already gone, "Damn, damn, damn, damn, and damn!"

He knew to stop her or the body count would just keep climbing. He checked and found Crossbow was still alive. So she hadn't everybody yet. But he deduced how she'd killed Laughing Skull.

Shrunk down, she'd placed her hands inside of one of the pores in the skin on his chest. And as she grew she reached further into him to break apart his chest cavity and rip his heart out. A very inventive and very psychotic means of killing someone.

* * *

Reverse Flash streaked off as Lady Flash came to. Christina looked around and wondered why she was still alive. Making certain she was unharmed, Lady Flash rejoined her teammates.

Afterwards Reverse Flash did the same and rejoined his.

* * *

Baroness Blitzkrieg fled as hundreds of Multiplexes mauled her. Multiplex let her go. She'd taken a beating and would be driven underground long enough to be unable to pose a threat to the Legion's plans under Luthor.

Multiplex reabsorbed all of his duplicates. Tefe Holland wasn't a target. So he had no problem with her as long as she had none with him. He assumed the waving plants and hissing critters could protect her well enough as he walked away.

* * *

A Skylark drove the heel of her hand up into Baroness Blood's nose as she returned to the scene and seemed to kill her instantly. Her sister Skylarks were disarming Baron Gestapo and blowing his brains out. Afterwards the united Skylark looked forward to killing the next Baron as well until they depleted the family line.

* * *

Valentina created green kryptonite to ward off Shalya Kor-Onn. Captain Murder looked enraged. But she held off from killing Val. Which seemed odd from someone with murder in their name.

"Seems you spared me the trouble," Captain Murder relented, "But next time she'll be mine."

She flew off and Valentina was grateful for the idea of not being there when the two titanesses met again.

* * *

Blue Jay came to find Breathtaker studying him, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Breathtaker," she answered.

"Literally?" he wondered, "Isn't Breathtaker an albino dwarf?"

"I killed him to use his name," Breathtaker divulged, "Now, do I kill you too?"

"I really don't know," Blue Jay admitted.

"I have orders to leave you alive but that could prove problematic since I killed the deformed guy," Breathtaker shared.

Blue Jay got up slowly so as to not alarm Breathtaker, "Yup. He's dead."

"Care to try me?" Breathtaker wondered.

"If that was an invite to carnal pleasures I'd scream 'yes' at the top of my lungs but somehow I don't think I could take you in a fair fight," Blue Jay shared.

"Just keep dreaming you'll find a way," Breathtaker smirked, "As for the pleasure end of it, maybe someday soon."

The air beneath Breathtaker lifted her high up and she flew away.

"Good to know," Blue Jay thought of both her power and her sexual appetites.

* * *

"Enough!" Tala shouted with burst of flare power strobing the sky, "We aren't here to fight both of you."

"No, just to kill me," Faye Morgana complained.

"Which I won't allow," Silver Sorceress promised her.

"Leave then," Tala told Faye, "I'll find you again and make a better offer."

She motioned for Lady Spellbinder to follow her away. Lady Spellbinder cast an illusion that rendered them invisible.

"I can do that one," Faye sounded disappointed.

"You're free to go," Silver Sorceress told Faye.

"I wonder if I truly am," Faye cast her invisibility illusion. It was effective enough Silver Sorceress couldn't detect her.

* * *

Black Sivana had the Hun pushed back to a concrete wall and was hammering away at his shield. Slowly, the wall began to crack and crumble as Black Sivana beat the Hun through it. And just as swiftly, he stopped.

"I've been endorsed to offer the Fourth Reich its partnership with the Legion of Doom to be restored or at least to those members proven worthy of it. Gather your forces and discuss matters. Join us and you'll have the world and deny us and you'll die. Have a good day," Black Sivana announced.

"And the Shield?" the Hun asked.

"Is off limits to you for today," Black Sivana chided him.

* * *

Black Hood recovered from the explosions and already knew what had happened. Firebug was no loss. He'd planned on killing the Nazi anyway. He made his way to the garage as Lady Flash streaked out and the Shield was coming to. Black Sivana, Signalman, Reverse Flash, and the Hun were nowhere to be found. All of which annoyed Black Hood.

* * *

"Look Sweets, I ain't gonna rape ya or molest ya somehow. I just wanted ta have a little fun before I gave ya Luthor's pitch. He wants the Fourth Reich to work with the Legion of Doom again. That simple," Atomic Skull chuckled.

Madame Libertine kicked his jaw and toppled him before she flew away.

"Wotta woman," Atomic Skull rubbed his wounded mandible and picked himself up and left as Jaguar was rousing.

* * *

Hachiman found his _katana_ was a simple blade against Nth metal weapons. Hachiman fought Sparrow Hawk and Hummingbird to a standstill. And then the women halted.

"I have an offer to make," Sparrow Hawk told him, "Ally the Hirohito Red Sun Brigade with the Legion of Doom as well as the Fourth Reich and prosper. But deny us at your peril."

Hachiman gave a half bow and then departed. Hummingbird weighed her axe as if testing it for throwing it into Hachiman's back.

"Let him live," Sparrow Hawk urged, "Luthor made it a priority."

"He also wants us to leave the bird woman alone," Hummingbird grumbled.

"Come now, she's practically a relative," Sparrow Hawk beat her wings to lift off. Hummingbird did the same. And they soared above the campus to watch further developments.

* * *

Blackwing had to admit Leatherwing was good…for a trumped up Nazi. But Owlman had been the Owl King and Blackwing had been a Talon of the Court of Owls. He did so appreciate the look of horror on Leatherwing's face when he realized he was going to die. And he kept that expression as the light went out of his eyes.

Fox was rallying then and Blackwing dropped a smoke bomb and when it cleared, he'd simply vanished. Fox vowed to look up Blackwing to identify and track him down and defeat him. Life in prison was too good for some.

* * *

"You are you?" Fly Girl was on her feet again with both buzz guns aimed at Enforcer. Enforcer sighed. She'd gotten sloppy.

She released the latch on her helmet and took it off. Fly Girl was startled, "You're a woman."

"My entire life. How about you?" Enforcer chuckled.

"Why are you here?" Fly Girl wondered.

"My assignment was to keep you alive if and while you were unconscious. Mission accomplished," Enforcer donned her helmet again and her boot thrusters fired and she flew away.

"Damn. And I thought my outfit was high tech," Fly Girl complained.

* * *

Byte released Dr., Demon, "Shoo now."

Dr. Demon cast a glance towards Web. Byte cut her mental process off, "No go, sweetums. He's my problem now, not yours. He stays alive. For now at least."

Dr. Demon jogged off leaving Byte with Web, "Nice suit, dude."

"You care to release me?" Web asked.

"Just a mo," Byte looked around, "There's the Wi-Fi."

She vanished and so did her hold on Web's suit.

* * *

Dr. Polaris used Inferno's body to beat Volkssturm to death. Then Frank Verrano reactivated and Dr. Polaris fled rather than face Inferno's pyrokinesis. Seeing the blood splattered across his chassis, Frank swore to himself he'd torch Dr. Polaris the next time they met.

* * *

Steel Sterling came to in time to witness Volcana spewing flames like a jet engine. The Martian was crispy. Steel Sterling had never seen anything like it even in his three decades' long career as a "mystery man".

"That's so not right," he couldn't help saying as Volcana blew a fiery kiss and used her flame as a thruster to fly away.

* * *

Devil Ray boarded the _Nemo_ and surfaced the submarine and he had the crew dock the vessel at the Hall of tarnished Justice's pier. The Legionnaires who couldn't fly were taken aboard under cover of armed sailors. Then the sub headed out to sea, diving once it reached Gravesend Bay before setting sail for Bludhaven.

* * *

Overman's scream of impotent rage could be heard over the tri-state area and even beyond. He cradled Overgirl's body before hurling himself into the sky, then beyond orbit to space, and finally into a funeral pyre in the sun. NASA later revealed to the Mighty Crusaders that they'd witnessed Overman's flight into the sun with their orbital probe.

* * *

"Gear up," Buster radioed, "We're launching gas grenades."

The rotary launcher shot grenades all across the frenzied crowd. Another round of rubber bullets broke their ranks. Fright and Psycho Pirate lost their grip. Mad Hatter lost his hat to a well placed bullet from Wild Bill.

Those Legionnaires, realizing they'd literally missed the boat, surrendered without a further fight. Which was damned suspicious. Owlwoman and Jack O'Lantern observed the _Nemo_ adjusting course north to Bludhaven before she fell too far below the surface to track any further. Even for Owlwoman.

* * *

Captain Nazi had returned to find the Hall of National Socialism in chaos. And his allies were experiencing heavy losses. So Captain Nazi staged a one man raid to rescue the Neo Nazi Korps. He would need Scarlet Skull to help rebuild the Cause. Degaton had proven National Socialism could be made appealing to the masses. What could be done once could be repeated.

A message arrived to him at the rendezvous site the Fourth Reich had in the Bronx. Baron Blitzkrieg sent his regards and notification of his final retirement at long last. He would be handing down the mantle of Baron Blitzkrieg and that successor would carry on his part in Hitler's dream.

The assembled Fourth Reich clamored to join with Luthor's Legion of Doom. Especially on the eve of their apparent eventual victory. Hirohito's Red Sun Brigade agreed as did the Neo Nazi Korps. So it was almost unanimous. Master Race, Faye Morgana, and Ace of Blades quietly harbored doubts.

* * *

The assembled delegates to the United Nation wondered what kind of crushing monstrosity of purposes had they just unleashed on the world. Luthor held sway and the Legion of Doom would serve as the sword in his strong right hand. And UN member nations would also be victims of Luthor's forces.


	14. Chapter 14

28

The former Justice League Antarctica members were grudgingly embraced by the Justice League Unlimited despite some lingering reservations. The new JLers had proven themselves against both the Nazis and the Legion of Doom despite former affiliations. But Killer Frost had even taken prisoners to be transported to Strykers. The consensus between Superman and Green Lantern was to use them and dump them at the earliest convenience.

The JLU toured their reclaimed headquarters. Green Lantern summed up what everyone assessed, "They seem to have been attempting to repair the damages left by Col. Trevor's associates."

"Steve is on his way," Wonder Woman informed them. Seconds later, Trevor, Hula Hula, and Shayera Hol teleported in from Liberty Station.

"I've taken the liberty of informing Penny and Zinda of our status," Plastic Man told Superman.

"Our flight team has a new addition," Trevor happily announced, "Zinda recruited another former Blackhawk. Her name, for legal purposes, is Natalie Reed."

"Care to explain that?" Owlwoman asked.

"Natalie is Russian by birth," Hula Hula explained, "And an internationalist by inclination."

"She joined the Blackhawk Squadron when the United Nations first revived the program," Trevor elaborated, "She originally flew with the squadron but was injured and lost her flight status. She fell back on her secondary specialty and became the chief mechanic for the squadron. When Zinda Blake was removed from being Lady Blackhawk she was replaced by an agent that had lost an eye just as Natalie had. However the new Lady Blackhawk was instated as a pilot while Natalie was restricted to the hangar. Naturally, she protested over that inequality. Lady Blackhawk responded by railroading Natalie during an investigation where the pilot had crashed her plane during a landing. Natalie blamed Lady Blackhawk's loss of depth perception. Lady Blackhawk concocted a story regarding maintenance issues regardless of the fact Natalie wasn't her chief mechanic. Lady Blackhawk demanded retribution and Andrew Lincoln caved enough Natalie resigned. Much to our benefit."

"They should have been here by now if they left from Eagle's Aeries shortly after we contacted Liberty Station," General Glory pointed out.

"They did leave but for Antarctica to retrieve the Invisible Jet and the X-35B," Shayera told him.

"The base might still be occupied," Killer Frost warned them.

"I uploaded a copy of your reports to them," Trevor promised, "Frankly, I feel bad for whoever they encountered. Penny and Zinda are two of the deadliest women I've ever served with."

Artemis snorted her disagreement. Trevor could see he and the Operations team would have to brief John Stewart and Superman regarding Natalie sooner rather than later, "Hula Hula, alert our staff it's time to come home."

"They'll love that," Hula replied knowing how dedicated the support staff was of the Justice League's mission.

"They should," Trevor agreed, "We all should."

* * *

An hour later, Gen. Jack Latham and Kenny Wisdom led a volunteer support team from the MLJ to the Hall of restored Justice. Latham briefed Trevor, "My people couldn't stay away and I've heard your staff could use all the help it could get. Also I can get parts and equipment you may still be facing hurtles acquiring."

"Isn't Wisdom one of your top staffers?" Trevor asked.

"Kenny Wisdom is a veritable electronics and IT genius. But I'll categorically deny it if I'm ever quoted. The boy has enough ego issues as it is," Latham advised Trevor.

"We thank you for the offer but we can manage from here," Superman tersely declared from the doorway as he strode in like God Himself.

"Son, I don't think you recognize the tenuous nature of your situation," Latham told him, "The only reason you have a staff is because I transferred them from ARGUS into the MLJ. ARGUS still wants your head on a platter but Waller is covering her ass by allowing the transfers," Latham told him directly, "The only reason the weight of Luthor's wrath didn't come down on you a few hours ago was he was informed you were all federal agents working for me now. Col. Trevor is an outstanding officer and covert agent but I have the weight to pull strings and accomplish things Steve here would drown in the red tape sea that would stonewall him."

Superman looked like he was swallowing bitter juice as Latham continued, "Now, I'm prepared to grant the JLU full autonomy while using my clout and resources to support you while you serve under Col. Trevor's guidance. But if you're going to asses about it, the deal will be off and you can suck it."

"You should trust him," Shield told him. The Mighty Crusaders had just returned from the prisoner transfers into meta-human storage in Strykers Island. And frankly, Superman had begun to forget the Mighty Crusaders were independent from the Justice League and were federal agents.

"I know you've had difficulty with the military in general and Sam Lane's idiocy in particular. He was one of the 'brilliant' brain trusts behind CADMUS. And the fact the DoD and ARGUS are covertly aiding him in defiance of the President's orders not to is tantamount to treason," Latham, shared, "I retired from the military to oversee the MLJ. The title 'General' is an honorific in name not fact. Technically my title now is 'Director' these days. But thirty years in the military earned me the courtesy of addressing me by my former rank."

Latham paused for effect, knowing how to sway a crowd, or an individual, to his point of view, "Director Waller siding with Lane places an important aspect of the national security apparatus poised to strike out at any JLer. The DEO and SHADE are likewise aimed at the Justice League by Luthor. However, they haven't been committed into action because apprehending classified metas and gen actives goes against their charters. Spyral is also thereby exempted. What you have on your side is the three arms of the MLJ Initiative. The first arm being the Mighty Crusaders. The second arm being the Web Agency. And the third, and newest arm, is the Shadow Crusaders, who specialize in low profiles assignments."

"I…don't know what to say," Superman confessed.

"Either say 'welcome aboard' or 'go to hell' because we don't have time for bullshit," Latham sounded pure soldier.

"There are legal considerations," John and Shayera joined them.

"Not anymore," Latham told them directly, "President McKay transferred the logistical and intelligence support of ARGUS from the JLU and transferred that responsibility to the MLJ. In a very real sense you work for me now. But I believe Col. Trevor is a good field hand and knows when to leave things alone."

Insect Queen looked in on the Ops Center. Latham could prove to a salvation or a damnation. Trevor had too much trust in the JLers to see the peril of their decisions until it would be too late. Latham wanted to believe but she could tell he was wary. She didn't know about Project CRUCIBLE and how it had churned out super villains in the quest to create one Shield. CRUCIBLE had been Marion Higgins command and it was little wonder he was underground now and throwing his weight and technical resources towards Sam Lane.

"You're a go," Latham told Kenny, "Luthor is playing a dangerous game."

"He has a fiction of legality," Shayera pointed out.

"But he removed his openly visible competitor, which strips away the veneer of his ambitions," Latham stated, "His position has airtight legality. The General Assembly passed the measure to create his role as Global Advisor and he has Russia and China locking in every decision he makes with the UN Security Council. That only leaves national sovereignty as the last bastion of refuge from Luthor's mandates and it won't be long before he challenges that."

"So he succeeds where Vandal Savage failed," Trevor said grimly.

"And people like Waller, who wanted a strong armed global leader like CONTROL are eating it up," Latham told them, "Where do you think Sam Lane's backing comes from?"

"But I thought the UN deal was that Luthor wouldn't rule directly," John voiced.

"He hasn't exceeded that mandate nor broken procedure," Latham chuckled with gallow's humor, "He isn't allowed to rule by fiat but no one said anything about through proxy."

"Lane and Waller have assembled a fighting force to rival the Justice League awaiting the eventual order to break from President McKay's authority and to eliminate the Justice League all in the name of 'international security'," Latham pointed out, "But even Lane's own daughter broke free of him and Task Force X is defying Waller."

"Lucy?" Superman asked.

"Maj. Lane is accused of high treason for defying her father's wishes regarding the disposition of her sister's corpse," Latham said sadly, "And the Air Force's Office of the General Counsel, which advises the Secretary and Under-Secretary of the Air Force, is advocating the death penalty for Maj. Lane."

"And in other news, Lena Luthor has control of Mercy Corp and has filed to change the name to LuthorCorp," Hula Hula announced as he approached.

"That's subtle," Shayera snorted.

"Neither was Gwen Cormaugh pitting the Suicide Squad against the Meta-Human Response Division," Trevor shared, "Task Force X managed to wipe out the Civil Defense Corps and push the THUNDER Agents past the point where they could survive using their powers but the Suicide Squad tipped its hand attacking Lane's forces."

"And the next generation of THUNDER Agents has already been developed by Project CRUCIBLE," Latham revealed.

"I thought that program had been shut down when Higgins was accused of illegality," Trevor remarked.

"No clandestine operation is ever really shuts down, you know that," Latham chided Trevor.

"It seems life continued while we were on the run," General Glory observed from the edge of the room, "All the more reason to embrace our new members."

"An even greater reason is Jesse Quick may never run again so she and Hourman are both retiring," Shayera announced.

"So it seems our latest recruits are as needed by us and they seem to need us," Trevor pointed out.

"I can give you time to dredge up new objections or we can just assemble the entire team as it stands and I can share the President's new directives," Latham offered, "Your choice of course."

"Your single focus is to save the United Nations from themselves and arrest Luthor," Latham saw he had everyone's attention now, "You need to end his reign of terror before it begins. That is the first and last directive President McKay will have for you."

"But I heard Luthor hadn't broken any laws," Vibe complained.

"Luthor hasn't broken any UN procedures," Latham clarified, "His broken international laws like criminality were in vogue."

Everyone hung on the general's words, "The Justice Department has a task force churning out new arrest warrants on various charges. Murdering Nazis, not matter we feel about them, is blatantly illegal. Inciting riots is another. Engaging criminals in a campaign to commit acts of terror and murder is fast becoming a personal favorite of mine. And Luthor went on record to order his Legion of Doom to carry each and every single act he and his cronies are being charged with. And these domestic charges will be doubled over to the World Court once they get Luthor's head out of their collective asses. And it's this summary of charges that lays the foundation for your singular goal of toppling Luthor before he convinces the world to attack North America and Europe.

"We'd like nothing better," Trevor promised him.

"The MLJ fully stands behind this effort with every resource we have. I'd also enlist the Justice Society before their students go Lord of the Flies on them," Latham urged.

"We'll be certain to do so," Superman promised.

"So, the Mighty Crusaders and I will return to Liberty Station forthwith," Latham informed them, "They have other concerns pressing for their attention as well. Keep Mr. Wisdom and his team busy. They're salary so overtime isn't an issue. But the march of time is."

* * *

The Web Agency was working alongside city, county, state, and other federal agencies to mop the riot scene. Injured protesters had been taken to be thoroughly examined. Once the reports and statements were taken, the Web Agency would return to their headquarters in Arizona.

* * *

Stargirl and STRIPE arrived "in from the cold" as Hula Hula put it. Stargirl couldn't believe the interior condition of the Hall of soon-to-be Justice once again.

"Geez, what a mess." STRIPE had flown Mike Dugan and his control pod to install at the Hall, "But they gotta hold of a lot of prime electronics."

"They stole all of it, idiot," Stargirl chided him.

"Heads up," Shayera found them, "We're taking a vote to confirm our new members as a totality or to reject some of them."

"Vote like in all of us or another Founder vote we just get to go along with?" Stargirl asked.

"The first one," Shayera smirked.

* * *

In the briefing theater, every member not being voted on was present and accounted for. Penny and Zinda Blake were also there alongside Trevor and Hula Hula. Natalie hadn't earned a voice yet.

"We're gathered here today to confirm new members or to even send select one away. Our peril has never been more fierce and our need for members so grave especially in light of Jesse Quick and Hourman retiring," Superman stood at the podium, "No one here has any trepidations against Owlwoman or Jack O'Lantern but deserters like Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay have past performance issues. Relative unknowns like Insect Queen and the Russian Firestorm are problematic at best. And the remaining three prospects are outright criminals. Killer Frost, Lady Flash, and Tefe Holland are murderers, convicted or otherwise."

"What kinda name is Tefe?" Stargirl snickered.

"Portuguese," Shayera cuffed her upside the head, "Now quiet."

"Perhaps most disturbing of all was that Black Canary, in her capacity as the Demon's Head of the League of Assassins, vouched for Killer Frost, Lady Flash, Silver Sorceress, and Blue Jay informing us they'd spent the as several months working for Nyssa Raatko. They'd committed illegal acts for the cause of good. But evil and good are mutually exclusive. "

"Which is still a trait that conceives of good in the end," Artemis argued.

"We're not perfect why expect them to be?" Supergirl asked.

"Have we heard enough or should we put it to a vote?" Superman cut them off.

"I say we vote," Gypsy offered.

"We'll begin by voting to induct everyone wholesale," Superman explained.

"Everyone for?" Trevor asked and he was impressed by the number of hands, "This will be close."

"Now against," Superman's vote been registered at the podium. Trevor counted but Superman already had the tally, "The motion passes. Everyone is inducted into the Justice League. May God have mercy on their, and our, souls."

* * *

"Two votes and this travesty happens," Superman complained to John and Shayera.

"I happened to vote in favor," Shayera advised him.

"Pardon me, but what about Albert?" Anna Fortune inquired.

"Atom Smasher?" Superman couldn't recall him being in the room, "One more vote either way won't change the outcome?" Superman told her.

"Atom Smasher vanished during our struggle to reclaim the Hall. It 's presumed the Legion of Doom took him," John explained.

Superman was mortified, "I'm so sorry."

"You were busy crucifying people. It's understandable," Anna remarked.

"We'll get him back. That's a solemn vow," Superman pledged.

"Very well, but patience isn't my strongest trait. And you have two petitioners," Anna stepped away to reveal Owlwoman and Jack approaching.

"How can I help you two?" Superman asked.

"Ultrawoman is Lena Luthor," Owlwoman told him.

"Lena is a meta-human now?" Superman was surprised.

"A gift from her older brother if you don't count an entire multinational corporation," Owlwoman remarked.

"And ya should mark me as one a them criminal types. The Brits let me go with an amnesty deal in exchange fer testifyin' against my fellow Real IRA cell members," Jack told them.

Superman looked grayish. Owlwoman intervened, "But the Legion is located beneath Trans Noble Equity in Bludhaven, "That's where Lena reunited with Lex."

"Which seem ta be the only reason she played Max Lord," Jack offered.

"This could change everything," Superman regained some of his color.

* * *

"Chief O'Hara, what do you mean Nightshade and Katana escaped?" Waller angrily addressed Belle Reeve's chief of security.

"Nightshade slipped through a shadow and Katana cut through my men like they were hot butter. And her sword was sheathed," O'Hara answered, "But Col. Flagg and Special Agent-in-Charge Grace surrendered."

"They're under the mistaken assumption you'll let them have a day in court, or an appeal to the President," O'Hara scoffed.

"And the trustee agents?" Waller knew it was hopeless but she had an obligation to ask.

"Never reported in today," O'Hara informed her as though it would never happen.

"Damn!" Waller snarled, "And a Presidential order mandated their neck bombs be removed when their sentences were commuted."

"Not like you to obey an order you disagree with," O'Hara observed, "Now you're SOL."

"I have ARGUS teams tearing Louisiana apart and Black Razors on standby should we meet resistance," Waller thought out loud, "Belle Reeve is my personal problem and I always solve my problems."

"God knows the Potter's Field attests to it, ma'am," O'Hara quipped.

"Have the Squad inmates prepped to deploy and tell them we're hunting our own. Each kill earns a full pardon," Waller dictated, "And alert Special Agent Grace she's the designated field leader for the kill squad."

O'Hara knew Karin Grace would protest her orders just as much as Rick Flagg would, "On it, Ma'am."

Waller would brief Karin personally. And the FBI agent would volunteer or rot tied down in the swamps beyond the prison.

* * *

Lucy Lane made her way through the streets Fawcett City. Lois had told her that Freddy Freeman was the proprietor of a newsstand. And he'd been Captain Marvel Jr.

Black Mary was no longer the sole remaining Marvel. Black Adam and Isis had been restored and Horus rejuvenated. So why couldn't Captain Marvel and Junior be restored? It was just a matter of convincing all the parties. So she approached Freddy.

"How can I help you?" the boy oozed charm without being creepy. And then he began to stare, "Um…your cape is flowing beneath the hem of your coat. And trenchcoats on a warm, Spring day is a giveaway."

"We need to talk," Lucy stated.

"I thought we were beginning to," Freddy was nonchalant despite his curiosity.

"About Shazam," Lucy dropped the name equivalent to a bomb.

Freddy shut down. Lucy tried to reignite the conversation before it died without ever beginning, "I'm Air Force. My father is an Army general. He created a Meta-Human Response Division built to kill everyone you love. ARGUS reports indicate the Marvels found out something about their powers no one could live with. But the Black Marvels have all restored their powers. And the world needs the Marvel Family, complete with Black Mary turning back into Mary Marvel right away."

"And why do you care?" Freddy was skeptical.

She opened her coat to reveal the crest of the House of El, "I'm no Kryptonian. I was given this to humiliate Superman. But I was lied to. He didn't kill my sister."

"And she was?" Freddy was ambivalent.

"Lois Lane," Lucy told him.

"Aw, geez. I'm sorry," Freddy felt like a cad.

"My father resurrected Lois as a zombie Bizarro. And what he's done once he'll do again, It's just a matter of selecting the right genetic material to fuse the Bizarro DNA to," Lucy's voice trembled with anger, "Superman and the Justice League have their own set of problems right now. So I need the Marvels to help my friends and I stop the Department of Defense from killing every meta-human on Earth that they don't control."

"Come back at Six," Freddy told her, "And bring your allies."

"Why?" Lucy wondered.

"We'll visit the subway and you'll meet Shazam," Freddy told her, "But Billy and I will guide you from here."

"Billy Batson will come as well?" Lucy was encouraged.

"He won't miss this," Freddy promised, "He and I have been wanting to have this conversation with Shazam anyway."

* * *

Kenny's Liberty Station teams were bolstered by former ARGUS teams, fresh to the MLJ and previous staffers at the Hall of Justice. Kenny and his techs brought cutting edge know how combined with the JLU staffers' familiarity with the work space.

Hula Hula's operations teams were relying on Shayera's intelligence gathering teams to properly collate and analyze the raw data coming in from Trans Noble Equity. The architectural plans had lain dormant since Trans Noble's construction when they built ten stories into the bedrock. Not unlike the JSA Brownstone.

But the JSA Headquarters had been public knowledge. Trans Noble had also carved out a hole that was never officially filled. But massive infusions in cash had kept everyone from looking into the substructure. And when Shayera discovered LexCorp had owned Trans Noble, things became clearer.

Trans Noble was a "too big to fail" investment firm that had weathered the Global Recession without a hiccup. Billionaires turned to Trans Noble for guaranteed results. And an investor had to have ten billion in liquid assets. A hefty amount of disposable income even for a Bruce Wayne or Lex Luthor.

* * *

Shayera briefed Trevor, Hula Hula, Superman and John, "Luthor owns this holding outright through a maze of shell companies that stretch across the world. He's making an easy billion dollars a year and it's far from the only holding he has left. When the FDIC seized his assets they went an average of twenty layers deep into his shells. But this is hundreds beyond that. "

"But you have the pattern," Trevor remarked.

"The computer is chugging through variables based on this scenario. The results won't be perfect but it'll give the Justice Department something to latch a hold of," Shayera promised, "And will even knock a chunk out of the national debt."

John knew Shayera viewed economics as the largesse of plenty. Thanagar of her youth and adulthood had relied upon rationing to distribute goods. And rationing was as much a random dividend since those waiting lines weren't assured the items would still be in stock when they reached the head of the line. And a black market had preyed upon the needs of the people. The needs of the war had turned them into a people who had sold their past for loaves of bread.

Thanks to Kalea-El establishing a link between Almerac and Earth through their orbital monitors further out in the solar system, Shayera had learned the black marketers were the only Thanagarians to have survived the Gordanian conquest in any sort of ease. The rest of the populace were slaves, refugees, or renegades. And those that had plundered their own people's pasts were now the overseers at the head of the slave pens.

"Just so long as we don't forget Trans Noble isn't Luthor's sole remaining asset. He owns good sized minorities in most of his competitors' public or preferred stock," Superman reminded her.

"He won't when we're done," John unrealistically predicted.

"Let's focus the FBI on the racketeering and we'll settle on the basement levels," Trevor suggested.

"There's more to it than that," General Glory entered in, "I was passing by and overheard most of this conversation. We're sanctioned by a law enforcement agency. Which means we have procedures to follow now. We need to have the Attorney General obtain search warrants so we can enter the premises. Owlwoman and Jack are witnesses to the Legion being there, so we just need a federal judge to play ball who isn't in Luthor's pocket."

"You've done this before," Hula Hula realized.

"In another life at the local level," General Glory pointed just how little they knew about him. Most were unaware he was Donavan Wallace and not Joe Jones.

Superman found he couldn't peer through the mask with his X-Ray Vision, "Would you mind removing that mask, General?"

He did so and John erupted, "Who the hell are you?"

Shayera smashed the table with her mace, "Enough! Most of us realized that Joe Jones wasn't General Glory anymore and we trusted in the same power that chose Joe to select a worthy successor. Which this man has proven to be. Now, shut up about it or a ram this up your asses collectively and not individually."

"She's pregnant," John reminded Superman.

"It hasn't shown until now," Superman felt like a spanked schoolboy.

"Oh, for the love of… Of course it's been showing," Shayera snarled.

"Shayera…could you put them mace down before we have to replace this conference room?" Trevor requested.

"Of course, Steve," she was happily compliant.

"My sister had swings. Just not this severe," Trevor offered.

"You have a sister?" Hula Hula wondered.

"Don't. Get. Me. Started," Shayera warned him.

"Just asking," Hula Hula said meekly.

"The point has been made, if not said, that we've acted as a law unto ourselves for too long," Superman stated, "And now is an excellent time to relearn that lesson. In our last incarnation as a UN agency we answered to duly appointed officials. If we resume that role, we need a new set of checks and balances."

"I'm speed dialing the number for the AG Latham gave us," Hula Hula stepped out.

"General, could you ask Stargirl and STRIPE to join us?" Superman asked, "Col. Trevor, please inform the JSA we have a role for them and their students."

"That should quell the mutiny," Trevor chuckled.

Stargirl and Mike had been overhearing yelling and were trying to figure out a way to sneak closer. Trevor excused himself and Shayera explained to them the requests that were being passed along.

"Heh, buncha rowdies. Superboy has them all spun outta shape," Stargirl said appreciatively.

"I wonder where Power Girl and Black Mary went to," Mike had visions of Power Girl's chest in his mind.

Stargirl recognized the drool factor, "Get your mind outta the gutter before I crack you one."

"But she's so strong and she's got huge… _ow_!" Mike received a punch to the jaw from his stepsister.

"Outta the gutter, turnip brain," Courtney Whitmore warned him again.

Trevor returned with Killer Frost, "You all need to hear this."

"Can I help you?" Superman asked diffidently.

"Not me but I think you can help make the world safer," Killer Frost told them, "Luthor isn't the only threat at the UN."

"And what would be the second threat?" Superman already felt weary.

"It's a 'who'. Named Max Lord," Killer Frost told them, "He chartered our Justice League and now he controls the Justice League Task Force. Which may or may not be acting of their own free will."

"Care to explain that?" John asked.

"Max is a meta-human. His power is mind control," Killer Frost told them.

"Max Lord?" John guffawed.

Superman smirked.

"Shut up," Shayera warned them, "Do you have proof?"

"Max put the whammy on Dr. Mist down in Antarctica. He reversed Dr. Mist's position on several things with a command, not a suggestion. Then he got a nosebleed," Killer Frost explained, "I was in the security office eavesdropping at the time. I smuggled the DVD-Rom out because Max and L-Ron weren't fast enough to get to the office to destroy the evidence in time. Max knew someone had the goods on him but he never knew who because I got the disc out of storage in time for our abandoning the base."

"And where is this fabrication supposed to be?" Superman asked.

Shayera swatted his hand with her mace. It didn't hurt him but it did chastise him. All eyes were on Killer Frost.

"It's buried with Firestorm," Killer Frost explained, "Silver Sorceress diverted us there from Vermont before returned to JL-Antarctica. Val phased the disc into Ronnie Raymond's casket."

"That's a lot of verifiable detail for a hoax," John relented.

"We don't have time to do so now," Superman deferred further judgment.

"But I can get an order to exhume the casket and send a team to do the job," Trevor allowed.

"Then we're agreed," Shayera decided for them all.

* * *

"Ah, Sheik Malik al Thaka, welcome to New York City. You may dispense with the turban in these offices. How should address you? As Sheik or as Brain Emperor."

Brain Emperor exposed his ruptured skull with his brain protruding out, "I answer only to 'master'."

"I bow to no man," Max warned him.

"We'll see," Brain Emperor wore a self confident smirk.

But as Max's nose bled, Brain Emperor began grunting his displeasure, "Fascinating, I'd have to damage your fragile mind to conquer it."

"I do aim to please," Max used a handkerchief to staunch the blood flow.

"Very well, I shall generously acknowledge you as a near equal," Brain Emperor conceded, "Speak your peace."

"You've been a busy man since Afghanistan. Fighting the Shield in Central Asia, recruiting the Evil Brain Trust, which is sheer hubris by the way, and allying yourself with the Global Concern, who are among my favorite people in the world," Max recited, "And now we need to discuss what's left of your ties with the Syndicate Underground."

And why is that, Mr. Lord?" Brain Emperor wearily inquired.

"Because you want to rule the world. You'll keep the members of the Brain Trust and the Global Concern on board when you achieve that goal. Pirate Blue and her cronies are extremely expendable. Once you have the word at your feet, they simply 'vanish' like so many before them."

"And your proposed role in all of this?" Brain Emperor recognized a proposition when he heard one even if Max hadn't said so yet.

"I want to be the showman. My Justice League Task Force will be the public face of your dictates," Max offered, "Your Brain Trust can be your personal enforcers while the Task Force maintains law and order. Meanwhile you'll bask in the rewards you so justly deserve."

"I'll…consider your offer," Brain Emperor surprised himself by saying. It would certainly tone down the active resistance and rebellions against his rule.

"Would you like some Turkish coffee?" Max pointed at heated carafe, "I've had it prepared the Afghan way."

"Maybe next time," Brain Emperor scoffed.

Max poured a shot and drank it, "Too bad. It's excellent. I'm rather beginning to like it."

Brain Emperor didn't sense much from Max and certainly no guile or malice in the offer. He regretted his earlier choice. But now he had to make a show of it.

"I see. I'll show myself out," Brain Emperor reluctantly announced.

"Take care," Max poured another. It was wasted on Bran Emperor because there wasn't anything tainting it. And Max was admittedly growing fond of the coffee choice.

* * *

"Our agents arrived at Firestorm's grave to find someone desecrated it. They dug the coffin up and threw the body clear of the coffin and ripped the coffin apart searching for something," Trevor reported to the Founders' Council.

"Killer Frost spoke the truth," Hula Hula was impressed.

"But why exhume the corpse now?" Superman asked.

"We submitted the forms to the court electronically," Trevor pointed out.

"L-Ron," Shayera sighed, "I interviewed the new members and all of them reported strange instances of Dr. Mist changing his mind about membership and policies with Max sporting bloody noses."

"They also mentioned another member from Earth-2 called the Neo Joker," Hula Hula told them, "She was the Joker's girlfriend when he kicked Harley Quinn out of his bed."

"A female Joker. Just what this Earth needs," John grumbled.

"She must be keeping quiet," Superman realized.

"And Swamp Thing and Abby Arkane are Tefe Holland's parents," Shayera stated.

"Has anyone heard from Nightwing and Little Mermaid?" John asked, "Bludhaven is their beat."

"Dick and Ulla are on their honeymoon," Shayera informed everyone.

"Good for them," Trevor grinned.

"Owlwoman feels terrible that she couldn't attend," Hula Hula told them, "But the new Jack O'Lantern is making headway in explaining to her it's part of the business and Ulla is part of it so she understood."

"I can't believe Jack was a terrorist," Superman confessed.

"The Fey chose him so they found him redeemable," Atom sat in for this session to make a special report, "As far as our legal standing goes, Jean is filing the motions and injunctions needed to slow the court procedure down to give us time to prove our innocence."

Jean Loring was a senior partner in her law form and Ray Palmer's ex-wife and on again lover. He'd even moved in with her once again. Palmer Tech was paying the Justice League's legal fees.

"Which still doesn't mean much with Luthor installed as the Global Advisor," Superman replied.

"Jean can only do so much," Atom defended her.

"No one is saying otherwise, Ray," John promised him.

"I suggest we divide into strategy teams as denoted by the master plan for the arrest," Trevor announced.

"I'll oversee meal prep and get an update from Kenny Wisdom on his tech teams are coming through," Hula Hula had appointed Kenny overseer of the repairs and installations.

"I'll also sit down with Penny and Zinda to see about air support and how they might incorporate Natalie Reed," Trevor decided.

Superman contacted the JSA Founders to discuss their united role in things to come.

* * *

At his home in Pueblo, New Mexico, attorney Eric Adams heard his crow caw from its perch. Then it flew to get a literal bird's eye view of Gen. Latham approaching the front door. Eric used his red striped white cane to tap his way to the front door. With his blinded eyes "seeing" what the crow was spotting from outside, he had to concentrate to focus on the home's interior to reach the door.

As he opened the door, the crow returned through the window to its perch where it could watch Latham. Eric had been blinded by a pipeline construction firm while he defended the legal rights of a reservation Native American nation. As a thank you for his efforts and to persuade Eric to continue them even beyond legal limits, a shaman bequeathed Eric the crow and his medicine bag so that Eric could become the other Hangman. Robert Dickering shared the name even as he'd served as Satan's hitman since the Civil War.

"Please come in, General," Eric offered.

Latham moved passed him and he closed the door, "What brings the Director of the MLJ Initiative to New Mexico?"

"I have a task that needs your delicate touch?" Latham shared.

"As the Hangman?" Eric was curious.

"As an attorney," Latham told him, "The Justice League has a high power lawyer defending them before the World Court."

"I'm principally involved in tribal nation laws as they pertain to treaties with US entities," Eric reminded him.

"The principle is the same. The JLU exists as a independent nation-state within UN confines," Latham told him, "This lawyer doesn't seem to actually be defending the Justice League. She's merely stalling while hammering out a plea agreement with prison terms negotiated."

"It seems…odd on the surface," Eric admitted.

"Especially since she's sleeping with a JLer," Latham grimaced, "You would think she of all people would be defending their innocence."

"She could still be in the discovery phase," Eric hedged.

"Jean Loring is renowned for her meticulous research and then her staggeringly aggressive style of attacking a case and shredding it," Latham finally named names.

Eric was impressed, "I've heard of Ms. Loring. When do I begin?"

"When are you available?" Latham asked.

"I have three upcoming trials on the docket," Eric told him, "The earliest being four months from now."

"Pack for cloudy and rainy," Latham warned him, "Liberty Station and Destruction Island are out on the Puget Sound."

"I stand so advised," Eric chuckled.

* * *

" _How is Mercy Graves taking to her new post?"_ Luthor sneered over the vidphone.

"Mercy is applying herself to her new task rather diligently," Lena replied to her brother, "I suspect some of her dedication comes from a desire to catch me in some malfeasance. Which won't be happening."

" _Getting caught is for amateurs,"_ Luthor approved.

"No, Lex. I won't be caught because neither I nor LuthorCorp will risk our reputations on reckless or illegal schemes," Lena told him, "I told you I wanted to reclaim LexCorp from Mercy and name it after our family. LuthorCorp is our true legacy despite your delusions of grandeur."

" _You listen to me, Lena Luthor!"_ Luthor roared.

"No, you listen to me now. Send whatever minions you want. You've adapted me into something capable of breaking them before I send them back to you. I'll even risk your full blooded Bizarros and that poor Superior Girl. I became Ultrawoman for a reason. This is it," Lena advised him, "I could turn you in and simplify my life but I won't. Hopefully you'll stand down on your own. In any case, my fellow JLAers know where your base is. How long do you think it took for them to tell the JLU?"

" _Why are you warning me?"_ Luthor asked.

"Because you're still my brother," Lena replied, "And I'd like you to return to LuthorCorp and even get elected President like you almost were before the Brainuthor incident."

" _Your concern is overwhelming,"_ Luthor sneered.

"Don't be that way, Lex. Just come back to what you helped build," Lena urged him.

" _Helped?"_ Luthor was incensed.

"You built atop of Lionel's legacy just as I've built atop yours," Lena shared, "And we keep it in family."

" _Very well, little sister,"_ Luthor conceded.

"And you need to evacuate," Lena urged him once again.

And Luthor believed her again.

"You have what you wanted," Lena spoke to her discreet guest.

"I do indeed," Max Lord smirked, "L-Ron has already selected a patsy to appear in your place when the disc goes before the United Nations. Your brother's true ambitions will be laid bare for the General Assembly and Security Council to vote him out of his exalted office."

"And what do you get in return?" Lena asked Max.

"I get to install my Justice League Task Force in place of the Justice League Unlimited. Let them stay a domestic agency," Max wore a smile that should have been trademarked.

Lena didn't buy it for a second.

* * *

Domestic terrorists had begun a bombing campaign in Chicago the moment the Justice League was disgraced and hounded into a flight from misguided justice. Detective Margo Collins argued with the Mayor's office to put pressure ion the FBI and ATF to call up the MLJ and have the Mighty Crusaders deployed. Intergang had pushed back the fractured Syndicate Underground and begun supplying the nutbars with advanced weaponry and explosives.

Margo had her own complicated history with capes and costumes. Her girlfriend, Sonia Alcona, had been one of the original Batwomen. Gay marriage wasn't legal nationwide in 2008 when Sonia died otherwise Margo would've married her as soon as she was asked. And Sonia had tried to convince her to drive to a legal state in order to force Illinois to recognize their union. But Margo had demurred and Sonia died.

Sonia had originally been the only one of the three to stay in costume after she left Gotham and the GCPD behind. The others had returned to it after Sonia's death but they'd both retired and a stranger went by the sobriquet "Batwoman" now. Margo was still grieving Sonia so she was just as happy the upstart Batwoman had never deemed fit to visit Chicago.

After painstaking days of fear and violence, the various agencies petitioned the MLJ to dispatch the Mighty Crusaders. The agency had withheld their participation owing to some especially tension filled territorial entrenchment on behalf of Chicago's FBI SAIC on the scene. But when the Mighty Crusaders moved in, they did so like the wrath of God.

The Web pinpointed the terrorists locations within hours. And the Mighty Crusaders split into smaller teams to deal with the problem. Many of the terrorists decided to die in a blaze of glory rather than be captured. When the operation concluded, the MLJ agents had successfully captured a mere third of the terrorists' cells. The rest had used incendiary devices to kill themselves and anyone else in their periphery.

But the Mighty Crusaders reunited at the FBI's regional headquarters. Fly Girl lamented about the soot and smoke clinging to her, "Geez, I need a triple shower and a month's vacay."

"I know some lovely spots this time of year," Fox remarked.

"Is that an offer?" Fly Girl asked.

"Of course it is," Fox replied. And so Fly Girl and Fox became an official couple with that exchange. Not that they'd fooled anyone up until then.

"Are you all right?" Shield asked War Eagle as she landed. The bandages covering the stitches in her side were stained with blood.

"It only hurts when people ask me that," War Eagle retorted.

"She's still an uppity wise ass so she's fine," Web commented. He desperately wanted to check on Jane and Rosie. Jane to see if she approved of her new home and Rosie to see if she'd actually moved in. John Raymond had never truly known family except for his brother, David. Now he had an estranged wife and a niece in his life and frankly he was at a loss.

Inferno's system's had checked out after Volkssturm's barrage. Not that the MLJ truly knew how or why Inferno operated. His systems resisted scanning and in depth examinations. But certain engineering principles were universal. And Frank Verrano seemed fine so he was cleared for field duty. But he kept his holographic appearance up in the FBOI's presence.

Jaguar was unusually subdued. And that bespoke of greater concerns since Maria de Guzman was naturally reticent and soft spoken anyway. But Cat-Girl had gotten into her head. Now everyone waited to see if that filtered into her heart as well.

Black Hood had been especially bellicose dealing with the terrorists. Shield had been entrusted with the knowledge of how the enchanted black hood drove men and women to the point of insanity pushing them to seek justice. Its singular goal was to find wearers that could cope with those impulses without becoming deranged killers themselves. And no one had a feel for where Wayne Sidmonson fell in that equation.

Comet had missed a portion of spring training and was anxious to return to his passion and his vocation as a professional baseball player. The Seattle Mariners' General Manager was voicing his protests over losing Rob Conners for the last week. Rob was moving through the farm system at an exceptional pace and the club had high hopes for his eventual major league debut.

Steel Sterling was still adjusting to the new reality of his body and its powers. All of which had proven vital in the afternoon's pursuits. But Jack Sterling had discovered he'd lost the ability to fly. A gift that would have been advantageous while facing the terrorist cell he'd been assigned to capture. As it was, they died fighting. An event that shook Steel Sterling to the core.

Joe Higgins had seen his share of death in Afghanistan and Iraq. Latham had arranged for the Army captain to retire. And Joe Higgins was being reassigned to the FBI. He was tasked with being a troubleshooter rather than an investigator. But since becoming the Shield, Joe had proven quite adept at both. The FBI Director had already assigned Joe to a meta-human investigative branch within the department. He wouldn't report directly to a SAIC but rather a specifically chosen fellow agent.

Darkling appeared to be rather sullen. Dream Demon had immersed her in her own memories. Nearly all of which were traumatic. Now Darkling was struggling to put her emotions back into check before she hurt someone. And enjoyed doing so.

"It seems you people work faster than light," Margo commented to Shield.

"We just have tools even the FBI and ATF don't have. Yet," Shield assured her.

Margo recalled fudging paperwork for Sonia's activities. It seemed the FBI would be taking the lead on that one here. Fortunately for the Mighty Crusaders, their orders had come from the Offices of the President. So they were automatically pardoned for any breaches in legal protocol. And in the days of the costumed vigilante, judges were less likely to dismiss over violated due process.

But the days of unrestricted and self operating vigilantes were coming to an abrupt end. Even if the Justice League were exonerated, checks and balances could be applied to their future activities. And where the JLU went, everyone else followed. Even the Mighty Crusaders followed in the footsteps of the Justice League of America.

"Excuse me, I have damage control to undertake," Margo stepped away and approached the vulnerable looking were-cat called Jaguar, "I hope whoever she is, is worth all this angst."

"Wh..what?" Jaguar faltered.

"You're struggling with your sexual orientation. I've seen the signs. You strike me as an only having been hetero type so I'm guessing a 'she' is behind all of this drama," Margo offered.

"You've been here," Jaguar realized.

"I've been there," Margo confirmed.

"What did you do?" Jaguar asked.

"I came out and alienated my entire family. But I built a new family in the community," Margo replied, "I doubt you want to go that route or you would have already. But don't hold back because of fear. Fear will kill your emotional seat. If you really don't want to pursue her, let her know in no uncertain terms. She'll love you still despite it."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Jaguar muttered.

"What did I just say about fear?" Margo asked, "If this mystery woman truly does love you, she'll respect what you have to say. Otherwise, you're just another sexual conquest. Women do it too."

* * *

The Mighty Crusaders teleported back to Liberty Station to leave the clean up to the professionals. The mayor called Margo and was ecstatic. He was using his special privilege to promote Margo from Detective Sergeant straight past Lieutenant to Captain while keeping the task force in place while Det. Capt. Collins went after Intergang. And the FBI, ATF, and Homeland Security looked forward to Margo laying the ground work and uncovering the trail that led outside of Chicago and hopefully straight back to the leadership lording it over Intergang.

* * *

At the Hall of restored Justice, Superman and Barda were dealing with the added façade of the eagle and swastika that Overman and Overgirl had sculpted out of concrete. Valentina Vostok offered to simply convert it all into nitrogen but the pair found it cathartic to hammer and blast away at it with a judicious use of fists and mega wands. Val just dissipated the debris as well as affected repairs where damages did occur.

"You really are a Firestorm," Superman congratulated her when the job was finished.

"You should claim that title," Barda urged, "You would be the first female Firestorm rather than a Firehawk."

"Thank you, I think," Val wasn't any less uncertain.

"It's a compliment. Take it as one," Killer Frost told as she exited the front entrance.

"Speaking of names. I'm uneasy working with someone with the name 'Killer" in it," Superman stated.

"And I'm uncomfortable working with someone self aggrandizing enough to declare themselves 'Super'," Killer Frost retorted, "Just want to call it even?"

"Let it go," Barda advised him.

"Look, 'Killer Frost' is the only thing I have left of Crystal Frost. Crystal and I did bad things under this name but that's an even greater motivator to redeem the title. I loved her and took the name to honor her memory. I loved Godiva and that love set me on the path that led here. You want to belittle all of that?" Killer Frost asked.

"We'll honor your memories beside you," Barda pledged.

Superman looked ill over honoring Crystal Frost.

"Won't we?" Barda cajoled Superman.

"I'll honor the woman Crystal Frost was before her accident and of course I'll pay respects to Godiva's legacy," Superman told her.

"He was this way with Goldilocks too," Barda sighed.

"No wonder she left," Killer Frost replied as she held out her hand, "Truce?"

Superman hesitated.

Killer Frost smirked, "I don't bite men."

Superman grasped her hand and was pleasantly surprised to find he didn't freeze up. Killer Frost grinned, "Now if we're completely done with the nonsense, Col. Trevor would like a word."

Superman knew Trevor had selected Killer Frost as his messenger to broker the peace.

* * *

Claire Montgomery and Maven had returned to the Hall as well. Claire wanted to issue a press statement, "I need all the JLers, old and new, to stand with me at the podium to present a united front. We'll be taking our first step towards clearing up public perception. You counter lies with the truth and by making it reasonable to believe."

"It'll happen," Superman promised.

"And the 'new' JLers include Lady Flash and Killer Frost," Claire stipulated.

Superman nodded, "Better to get it out there sooner rather than later."

"The press is hungry for the story after earlier this morning," Claire told him, "We break the news first and we control the story."

Clark Kent knew that axiom all too well. He'd already filed an exclusive interview with Superman for the Daily Planet.

* * *

Claire held court over the various media outlets, "Today the Justice League stands exonerated from the erroneous charges brought against it by the United Nations and the Hague. President Olivia McKay has such high faith and esteem for the Justice League she's appointed them federal agents under the banner of the MLJ Initiative. Col. Steve Trevor of ARGUS will remain as the team's immediate supervisor in an unprecedented level of cooperation between ARGUS and the MLJ."

Claire knew Waller had to be seething. But the mandate came from the President herself and it was made a matter of public record within minutes of its signing. Cutting off Waller's usual tactic of burying an executive order she disagreed with.

Reporters and journalists began clamoring. Claire managed to shush them, "I know you all have questions. There will be a question and answer session after my remarks conclude. As a first duly appointed task, the Justice League will bring Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom into custody to stand trial on literally hundreds of charges. His reign of terror over the United Nations will end and end now."

Shouts and hands could all be seen and heard. Claire began filling out the extent of the Justice League's assignment as she answered individual questions. Although warned, the JLers were surprised by the wave of questions directed at them. Many wanted answers as to why Killer Frost and Lady Flash stood amongst their former foes.

"The President has pardoned Killer Frost and Lady Flash for their crimes committed inside US borders. Brazil pardoned Tefe Holland prior to her deportation. Insect Queen is a newer hero we discovered because of Dr. Mist. Firestorm is the first woman to bear that name and it is well deserved. Thank you your attention to these matters and rest assured the Justice League continues to serve the public trust," Claire shut the press conference down.

Newscasters filmed remarks at the scene while journalists reviewed notes or recordings as they began to frame their articles in their minds. Inside, Claire congratulated everyone, "That's the first hurdle. Next comes dragging Luthor into court. President McKay just put her own credibility in your hands and her head will be served up if you fail."

"The idea behind announcing a joint venture is to pin Waller down. She's in complete denial of any involvement with Sam Lane but the paperwork lists her transferring assets to the DoD and they're subsequent 'vanishing'," Trevor explained, "By making ARGUS a public partner to the MLJ, Waller's options on how to attack get severely curtailed. If a reporter learns ARGUS is undermining or sabotaging the MLJ's mission, the press will crucify Waller."

"Because the Mighty Crusaders are America's new darling much in the way the Justice League of America was before them," Claire explained, "Public confidence rides higher towards heroes and teams accountable to civic officials."

"Next the MLJ needs to endorse the JSA and Huntress' Birds of Prey experiment," Shayera told everyone.

"I'll contact Latham," Trevor pledged.

"I'll get the PR monster rolling," Claire assured everyone.

Hula Hula approached from the Ops Center, "I have updates regarding Trans Noble and the Legion of Doom's movements."

"Let's go to Ops and hear them," John suggested.

* * *

The Justice Society arrived on time. Their body of students had increased. The DEO had recently classified and identified several candidates for the JSA to train. They came from all walks and even different times.

Arrowette was a teen archer named after her mother's guise that she adopted when Green Arrow and Batman were young men Suzanne "Cissie" King-Jones was a reluctant hero but gifted in a way Speedy, both Roy Harper and Mia Deardon, had only dreamt of. Omen was a psionically gifted young woman who was also partially unstable. Lilith Clay's background was largely unrevealed but she seemed earnest in her desire to use her gifts to help people.

Kid Flash was Bart Torr from the 31st Century with all of the powers of a modern day Flash. He'd brought his sister, Shira, as well…to his own regret. Cyril Sheldrake had passed on the mantle of Squire to Shira. Cyril took up the armor and name of the Knight. He saw the JSA as opportune mentors to train him to return to the United Kingdom and enforce the peace. Shira desperately wanted to go with him as his Squire. A development Kid Flash did not appreciate.

Superboy and Wonder Girl had persuaded the others to operate under the team name of Young Justice when they went out under the Justice Society's supervision but operated independently. Jakeem Thunder had announced his retirement for super heroics before they'd even really begun. Miss Martian happily agreed to establish a separate identity for the students.

Another new recruit had been left behind. The DEO had wanted to incarcerate her rather than release her to the JSA. Her powers were largely unknown. It wasn't even known if she were truly alive or not. So Secret remained at the K-Star Ranch until the JSAers could discover more about her.

With the arrival of the Justice Society and Young Justice, the Justice League was prepared to move in on Trans Noble Equity. The MLJ, FBI, and even ARGUS had agents cordoning off the blocks prepared to go in behind the JLU and its allies. The MLJ deployed conventional assets rather than the Mighty Crusaders, Web Agency, or Shadow Crusaders.

The surveillance teams reports that the skyscraper was essentially deserted. Only ambitious investment bankers, even more ambitious clerical support staffers. downtrodden customer support staffers, IT staffers, and security guards roamed the hallways. But no one expected the Legion of Doom to take coffee breaks with the conventional employees.

Sand used his geokinetic power to trace out the underground, "We have ten levels beneath rather like the JSA Brownstone. Several offshoot tunnels branch out. Write down these coordinates…"

"All of them are escape routes," Sand said after delivering the coordinate sites that the JLU was looking up, "One major tunnel leads to the wharf and the others lead into Bludhaven proper. Given the map of the city I could point out any seeming discrepancies between the coordinate locations and the physical addresses. And each tunnel leads to a different location."

"They'll scurry like cockroaches when we go in," John Stewart predicted.

"That's why we're canvassing the city. Only Sand has just provided the exact locations to cover," Superman was pleased, "John, Barda, Jessica, and Artemis will join me inside breaching the building. Everyone else will sit on a tunnel exit."

* * *

Security met the JLers in the Trans Noble lobby. Superman handed over the search and arrest warrants, "These are federal warrants giving us complete and unrestricted access to the building…including the ten levels beneath this building occupied by the Legion of Doom."

"I'll have to call my superior," the watch officer stated. He was irked because the warrants looked in order.

"The floor is lined with lead," Superman told the others.

"Allow me," Green Lantern began digging up the floor tiles with a scoop shovel. Only to hit an obstruction, :"The subflooring is painted yellow!"

"Not a problem," Power Ring punched through the floor with a ram.

"Stand back," Barda leapt through the hole while security protested to Superman and Green Lantern. Wonder Woman followed Barda down with her bow at the ready. Power Ring shrugged at the security mob scene and floated to the level below.

Motion triggered lights had snapped on. Barda made a succinct observation, "It's deserted."

"Too bad," Artemis remarked.

Superman and John joined them.

"There's a three way split in the corridor up ahead," Jessica Cruz's ring deduced.

The JLers found it.

"Barda, take Jessica with you," Superman suggested.

They took the left tunnel. Artemis was quick to take the right corridor, "I've got this one."

"You'd best go with her," Superman recommended to Green Lantern.

"You'd better hope she isn't painting her arrows yellow these days," Green Lantern ruefully commented.

Superman went down the central corridor.

And they reunited without incident. Barda nodded towards a door marked "Stairwell", "Seems a good place to begin again."

And they searched every level to find each one emptied. Power Ring signaled Sentinel through his ring and Flash raced across town standing everyone down. The MLJ led the federal agents into the building. The FBI took the upper floors while the MLJ and ARGUS focused on their meta-human specialty and took the lower floors.

Hula Hula and Kenny Wisdom accessed the computers through a remote receiver attached to a router. And they discovered the computers had been wiped clean. So clean even the esteemable KitCat couldn't recover anything.

* * *

The JLers, JSAers, and Young Justicers met up at the Hall of Justice. Superman made a prediction, "Someone tipped off Luthor but we'll find them and then we'll bury him."

"Lena Luthor had to be the mole," Owlwoman deduced, "As Ultrawoman she knew our JLA had found the Legion and that Jack and I survived the encounter."

"And next time we'll just sit around watching his foxhole again," Superboy complained.

"Conner!" Wonder Girl hissed.

Superboy was unrepentant. M'gann M'orzz spoke for the former Titans, "My fellow former Titans and I are used to operating with a great margin of independence. The confines of the K-Star Ranch seem to be rather…stifling at times."

"Given how four former Teen Titans are now contract killers led by Red Hood, I think you can understand our caution," Sentinel replied.

"Ravager was never a Titan," Superboy grumbled, "And I didn't break out of NOWHERE to just be locked up again."

"How about a compromise," Flash offered, "We train for four hours a day. The rest of the day would be spent in field exercises. Young Justice would be independent but observed for instructional purposes."

"I could go for that," Superboy admitted.

Wonder Girl and Miss Martian also consented. The others readily agreed.

"I'd like to get out more," Cassie Sandsmark happily agreed.

"And I promised myself I'd see more of Earth," M'gann enthused.

"So it seems our investigation is starting over," Superman refocused the topic at hand.

"Maybe not," Shayera intervened, "The recent 'Hauser' reference led to Arvell Hauser, a leading weapons manufacturer who was also associated with the CRUCIBLE Project and is currently an investor in an entity known as ARMS Control begun by Gen. Marion Higgins. Hauser is also known to associate with Candace Zither, Ivana Baiul, and Clarisa Clemens. Past corporate partners included Lex Luthor and John Lynch.

Lynch and Baiul's names stirred Superboy up again. Clemens' experiments on the Firestorms and Firehawks weaponization programs had frequently threatened Megan Morse's desert encampment neighbors. And the JLers all recognized Higgins as the Shield's rogue general uncle.

"It seems we have several leads instead," Superman happily stated.


	15. Chapter 15

21

Shayera Hol and Hula Hula held court at the briefing session regarding Luthor's allies. Shayera began with Arvell Hauser, "Arvell Hauser is a major arms manufacturer and has been since before World War I. His longevity seems to be a mutagenic response to a nerve gas he was developing for the Kaiser and was accidently exposed to it. Every other lab personnel similarly exposed died. Hauser left Germany after the war and plied his trade for the British before doing so in the United States prior to the Second World War."

Shayera paused before continuing, "Hauser has made missile and artillery technology his forte. And of course, chemical and nerve agents are a specialty even working with the United States military complex that supposedly prohibits the use of such weapons. It seems a mandate easier to enforce upon others than live with themselves."

Shayera proceeded to conclude her report on Hauser, "Hauser competed directly against LexCorp until gaining the upper hand after Mercy Graves downsized the arms manufacturing emphasis of the newly rechristened Mercy Corp. And Hauser is currently involved in several joint ventures with the Mars Corporation, including a venture ironically called ARMS Control. Fortunately, Hauser is a known quantity and the hub of his manufacturing efforts is in Summit, Colorado. Hauser makes his home there."

Shayera moved on, "Candace Zither heads up the Zither Group. It is a well respected and highly sought after private security services, consultation, and military action firm. It's a family trust that slowly built up respectable clientele such as Lloyd's of London and other types of insurers as well as defense contracting."

"The guards at Trans Noble were Zither Group Security contractors. Trans Noble only employs Zither security and Mercy Corp went with Zither when Mercy privatized the security force and outsourced its needs. Lena Luthor hasn't made her policy known as of yet. Zither can be found near the home office in London. Steve and Gen. Latham are currently working with the British MI-5 to launch an investigation. The Brits seem reluctant to insult a cash cow so New Scotland Yard may be approached but it seems the topic is impolitic."

Shayera stepped aside from the briefing theater's podium to allow Hula Hula to take over, "Dr. Clarissa Clemens is Prof. Martin Stein's ex-wife. They divorced before Stein died but Clemens seems bitter about his death largely because it imposed limitations on her own research into biogenetic enhancers. Nuclear energy being a potential tool."

Hula Hula, like Shayera, had PowerPoint slides running, "Clemens is the biogenetic engineer that weaponized the procedure that created the original Firestorm. But none of Clemens' subjects experience fusion and therefore are all weaker on the same scale that Firehawk was weaker than the original Firestorm. Presumably Col. Vostok also has a degradation in power levels compared to the fused form of Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein."

"Dr. Clemens left the university system to begin a start up enhancing gen factors in conjunction with Ivana Baiul activating them. But more on her in a moment. The USDA hasn't approved or disapproved of Clemens' procedures mainly because they haven't caught up with the theoretical science and because NATO is her chief financial backer," Hula Hula shared.

"Ivana Baiul is a geneticist specializing in identifying, activating, and harnessing gen factors. Baiul partnered with John Lynch in creating the GEN and NOWHERE programs for first CADMUS and then ARGUS. In most cases, Gen13 subjects escaped as well as the NOWHERE subjects that survived the CULLING event whereby subjects were pitted against each other in gladiatorial combat to the death. The purpose being to force a survival of the fittest response," Hula Hula shared, "Recently it came to light that a Gen14 program had begun as well before Baiul was forced into hiding but is also apparently the 'hidden' partner working with Clemens."

Trevor joined them at that time and took over, "MI-5 won't investigate Zither because they're solely tasked with combating domestic terrorism and internal threats to the United Kingdom. And Zither doesn't qualify as such in the eyes of Whitehall. But New Scotland Yard has been investigating the Zither Group and Candace Zither herself. They've invited the MLJ to observe while they detain her and her key personnel for questioning."

"Let's go tomorrow if Scotland Yard is ready," Superman urged.

"Superman, everyone has been run ragged. I propose we take a two day sabbatical and then offer Gen. Latham our services if they're required," Trevor stated.

"Two days?" Superman sounded cross.

"My original mental calculus was to demand a week," Trevor shared.

Superman began to realize not everyone had his, Barda's, Artemis', or even Batman's stamina, "Very well. Two days."

"When we convene again, we begin with further intelligence on the targets especially the results brought to us by Scotland Yard," Trevor told them, "Lives rise and fall on good intelligence."

* * *

Gwen Cormaugh had returned to London. She felt Cardiff was too obvious a choice. And managed to persuade Nightshade, Katana, Phantasm. Firehawk, Silver Swan and the Puzzler to join her. Hack and the Enchantress were left at Belle Reeve as infiltrators of Amanda Waller's new regime with Chief of Security O'Hara as her right arm.

Gwen occupied a International Security Agency safe house. The ISA Chief gladly let her former agent use it to spite Waller. And the Chief wanted the dirt on the Suicide Squad. The ISA formed a defensive perimeter around the safe house. The local constabulary wanted to know why but believed the cover story so Gwen and the ISA went without further interference. Every move calculated to bring Waller out into the open and force her to acknowledge her crimes. Gwen had even gotten President McKay to sign off on the project.

The Chief had little regard for Task Force X until they liberated the United Nation's delegates from Saturn Queen's Secret Society. A role the Chief felt was exclusive domain of the ISA and Spyral. So her little regard became even less love. The Chief wanted the Suicide Squad debunked and returned to incarceration and Waller imprisoned. Something McKay agreed with, having already issued a Executive Order dismantling the program yet it continued unabated.

Gwen was dedicated to the same goal. The Chief spied on Waller so Gwen had to assume that Waller spied on the chief. Surprisingly, all three women shared a similar goal. None of them wanted to see unregulated vigilantism anymore. Gwen respected the Justice League but having been an ISA liaison with two Leagues, she saw the advantages of the Justice League of America over the Justice League Unlimited. Gwen would prefer individual national Justice Leagues and one super regional United Nations endorsed Justice League.

Of course, Gwen knew the Founders would fight it. Even Batman would break his isolation to undermine the effort. Which is why the choice needed to be removed from them. And if they resisted, they really would be criminals guilty of the obstruction of justice.

The Task Force X personnel that joined Gwen had flown in incognito. So Puzzler learned Phantasm was really Andrea Beaumont and not her father. And Phantasm quietly informed Puzzler of which body parts she'd slice off and force feed to him if he revealed her secret to anyone outside of the safe house. He wisely deferred to her judgment. After all, she wore a scythe glove and was proficient in its use. And she was one of the most highly feared professional assassins in the word.

It was also Phantasm that pointed out to Gwen that Red Hood and the Outlaws had borrowed from her motif. They only accepted contracts to kill criminals. Their employer wasn't relative but the targets were invariably crooks just as their bosses were as well. Phantasm had perfected that scenario following Black Spider's brief pioneering career before being captured by Batman and ending up with Task Force X on the Suicide Squad.

"The problem we face is our usual friendlies are now hostile," Gwen told the assemblage, "I'm in the process of negotiating an end game scenario with Gen. Latham at the MLJ. Latham, for his own reasons, wants Waller taken down. It seems she has a backdoor arrangement with the DoD to support and shelter two rogue generals the President has disavowed both but the Joint Chiefs are still running them and keeping their clandestine operations intact."

"We've never had friendlies," Andrea remarked.

"That's cynical even for you, Andie," Lorraine Reilly commented.

"Easy, we need each other like never before," Eve Eden advised them.

"We're so screwed," Valerie Beaudry complained.

No one knew the Puzzler's real name. Not even ARGUS, "We need access to the President to force this issue. I can get us past the Secret Service."

"Accessing the residence would be the hardest part," Gwen suddenly warmed to the idea, "McKay lives alone with no family other than the First Husband and she could make the most use of the evidence I've compiled. Latham could get us back inside US borders."

"He is human and she is not," Tatsu Toro stated.

"I suppose your sword told you that," Puzzler said condescendingly.

"No, but it did promise you will die before we reach the White House," Tatsu advised him.

"We face death with every mission. This is nothing new," Eve clarified.

"But this time if we maim or kill anyone they will prosecute us," Andrea warned everyone.

"Is this how you escaped Batman? A sex change and some pessimism?" Puzzler sarcastically demanded to know.

"I faked my death and left the United States behind," Andrea replied, "Until ARGUS caught me. Col. Trevor can be quite persuasive."

"So you're saying you were never tried or convicted?' Loraine was surprised to learn.

"Neither were you under the condition of your plea agreement Waller arranged," Andrea replied.

Lorraine growled at the back of her throat.

"Stop it!" Valerie snapped, "Our lives are literally depending on each other. Nightshade volunteered for the squad as well."

Eve was surprised by Valerie's departure from her usual mousiness. Puzzler sneered, "My life doesn't depend on any of you."

"Because you only came with us because Waller offered you your freedom in exchange for telling her where we would end up," Gwen said coldly.

"You must be joking," Puzzler scoffed.

No one saw Andrea retrieve her scythe glove or press the blade against his throat, "We already knew the truth."

"You need me to get past the Secret Service," Puzzler coughed.

"I can get him to talk without ever leaving this room," Tatsu promised.

"Do it," Gwen ordered.

Puzzler's head rolled off and hit the floor and Tatsu's SoulTaker was drinking him up. Only Andrea and Eve spotted Tatsu unsheathing her sword and lopping Puzzler's head off with it. Katana was just that fast.

"He is reluctant to speak to me but Maseo and Takeo are having…a word with him," Tatsu reported.

It seemed the brothers found a measure of peace with each other in the afterlife within the SoulTaker's blade in regards to Tatsu. The very source of the antagonism that drove Takeo to kill Maseo for marrying Tatsu. And she fulfilled his fantasies by bedding him for weeks before ultimately killing him. No one was impolite enough to suggest Tatsu fulfilled a few fantasies herself through both acts.

"I have the plan," Tatsu whispered her thanks to her husband and his brother, her lover.

"Share it with us," Gwen said briskly, "Eve, call the ISA and have a cleaner dispose of the body."

"It will take Waller under ten hours to convince Karin Grace to lead an asset heavy Suicide Squad mission here to London. We need to be on the move before then," Gwen counseled her loyalists. Who were more loyal to the truth than her personally, "Remember, Karin and the Enchantress are the only friends we have remaining on the active squad."

"Gen. Latham will provide transportation to Washington DC," Eve informed them, "We have a thirty minute window before departure."

"So let's get ready," Gwen urged.

* * *

Jane Raymond gazed at the expanse of her uncle's Silicon Valley penthouse, "Geez, you live in an apartment bigger than my old school."

"I doubt that," John replied, "And it's a condo. I own it outright. Actually, I bought the building outright. It's your home too if you want it."

"What's my other option?" Jane asked.

"Foster care," John told her, "I can arrange for someone like Bruce Wayne to take you in the way he did with his two wards."

"Oh hell, no," Jane backed away towards the front door.

"I don't make the rules," John tried edging her off that ledge, "But the law say you need adult supervision. And you're family. I'd like to find out what that means."

"You break rules all the time," Jane accused, "It's what you do."

"I know you've had a great deal of independence and I'm not trying to take that away. I also have another condo on the other side of the floor that I use as a guest room. If you won't move in with me, consider that condo yours. But the deal comes with a domestic staff."

"Why?" Jane whined.

"Because I've seen how you live on your own. The staff won't live with you but you have to check in with me daily," John told her.

"And if I'm on a Shadow Crusader mission?" Jane asked.

"You check in when you get back. And Latham will tell me when that is," John promised her.

"I'll take the condo deal," Jane agreed, "Who's Rosie?"

"Rosie is your aunt. I screwed up our marriage on the first week. I'm trying to make it right," John confessed.

"Is that, like, a total admission of guilt?" Jane was stunned, "Dad told me you never admitted when you were wrong or ever apologized for it."

"I've realized what an ass I've been. So I'm changing. Starting with the two people I should care most about," John confessed, "I'm just sorry I was a such an asshole that David never told me he married your mom or that you were born."

"The altitude must be light on oxygen because I think I just heard another admission of guilt," Jane pretended to swoon, "And good God, that's two in as many minutes."

"Meeting you and seeing Rosie again made a difference. I'm hoping to make it a good change," John stated.

"So when is wonder babe coming back?" Jane asked.

"She's moving into the spare bedroom…or even your place if you want," John suggested.

"Lemme meet her then I'll decide," Jane countered.

"She's part of her own super team now," John told her.

"Two, actually," Jane corrected him, "Latham offered Pow-Girl an extremely part timer slot with the Shadow Crusaders."

John's stunned expression became one of approval, "That could actually work."

"Holy shit! You really are different," Jane exclaimed.

"And I'm going to stay that way," John promised.

Jane could only hope.

* * *

Clark Kent and Barda Free were enjoying a quite dinner in their apartment. But Barda looked pensive so Clark had to ask, "Something wrong?"

"I appreciate you letting me move in after Scott's death. I knew after what happened with Diana you were slightly apprehensive," Barda shared.

"I hear an unspoken 'but' in this," Clark gathered.

"I think it's time to move out of the spare bedroom," Barda told him in no uncertain terms.

"But where would you move to?" Clark was alarmed.

"The master bedroom. I might even let you stay as well," Barda wore a sly smile.

* * *

Ten minutes later a very naked Barda stormed out of the bedroom to answer a knocking at the door. She threw it open to reveal Karen Starr outside, "What?"

"I need to talk to Clark," Karen told her.

"I'm in the middle of getting my brains screwed out and you want to interrupt?" Barda grated.

"Precisely," Karen assured her.

"Fine," she handed her off to the approaching Clark, who at least wore shorts, "Keep it up. We're far from over."

"At least my hearing is still good," Karen was amused.

"How can I help, Galatea?" Superman asked.

"I go by Karen these days. Karen Starr," she revealed.

"The tech billionaire?" Clark was stunned, "How? When? How?"

"I think you're repeating yourself," Karen advised him, "Blackhawk showed me investing as a game. It turned out I was really good at it. Especially with emerging technologies."

Barda was still defiantly naked. Karen ignored that fact, "Anyway I consolidated all of my holdings into Starrware. Mary Batson is my assistance and she's as sharp at it as I am. I leave the actual corporate management to others but I have hand in the investment game. Meanwhile, Power Girl and Black Mary are still active."

"I never would have guessed," Clark admitted.

"I gathered that," Karen laughed, "I never had a secret identity so no one expects me to have one now."

"Is this going to take much longer?" Barda wanted to know.

"I'll let you get back to making babies after I explain why Kalea contacted me," Karen stated.

"Kalea?" the sound of his eldest daughter's name caught Clark cold.

"Saturn Queen and someone called the Emerald Empress have united an unholy coalition of forces against Almerac. And after Almerac they're headed to Earth," Karen explained.

"Kalea needs my help," Clark surmised.

"No, she needs my help. For now, you need to guard against a sneak attack. If you're needed eventually you'll be contacted," Karen promised.

"Who could threaten Almerac?" Clark asked.

"The Khunds, the Dominators, and Saturn Queen rules over Thanagar and New Krypton with Ultraman and Ultragirl as her regents. Kalea doesn't know the Emerald Empress' full ambitions yet," Karen told them, "A courier ship will pick me up later today. I also need you to watch over Mary. She's becoming increasingly unstable."

"Does Maxima have a plan?" Clark asked.

"She wants to unite the Lantern Corps but it usually takes a Black Lantern outbreak or Volthoom to do so," Karen shrugged.

"So you'll see Kara?" Clark was hopeful.

"I plan to," Karen promised.

"Tell Kara…and Kalea…that I love them both," Clark offered.

I will," Karen promised.

"Hrm…mmm," Barda loudly cleared her throat.

"I'll let you get back to effing her brains out," Karen smiled.

Clark was scandalized. Barda pulled him of his chair, "Pleasure me, little man."

Ripping his shorts off she beheld his rising erection, "Maybe not so little after all."

* * *

"So how goes the case?" Ray asked Jean Loring.

"Can you be more specific?" Jean absently toyed with a half filled wine goblet and slid one to Ray.

"The defense of the Justice League," Ray rolled his eyes.

"Ray, the indictments against the Justice League won't just go away. But I've arranged for amnesties for anyone who steps down and hangs up their costumes. The others might buy into it if you lead the way. Otherwise the United Nations will sanction the United States to surrender all of you."

"There's no defense?" Ray was crestfallen,.

"None that I can see," Jean sipped her wine.

"But we're innocent," Ray protested.

"I believe you but I'm not a credible witness. They have eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence proving the Justice League slaughtered those people on Corto Maltese. Why would the investigators lie?" Jean asked.

"Have you ever met Lex Luthor?" Ray was still incredulous.

"Luthor may be a proven villain but he's the absolute authority the world answers to now. And who is to say he hasn't earned that position?" Jean asked.

"I can't believe you're a Luthor apologist," Ray's hopes came crashing down.

"Ray, just retire. No one will prosecute you as long as you're not the Atom," Jean pleaded with him.

"No one will take that deal. I know them," Ray protested.

"Fine. It's off the table for them. But what about you? What about us?" Jean wanted to know, "Your identity is public so they know where to look for you. How can we still be together again if you're locked in the deepest hole on this planet?"

"You seem to have this argument better thought out than your legal strategy," Ray was hurt.

"There is no strategy because I can't make a case. I can slow things down but that's it," Jean assured him.

Ray debated the issue, "I wanted to devote more time to you and my research. But, in your expert legal opinion it really is hopeless?"

"Yes, it is," Jean promised.

"I'll inform the others tomorrow and tell them I'm stepping down," Ray decided.

Jean was elated. Her entire strategy, conceived with Luthor was paying out rich benefits. She wanted Ray Palmer to herself and the only way to insure that as for there to either be no Justice League or for the JLU to be locked away in the GULAG.

* * *

"So how was your first day on the new job?" Lena Luthor asked Mercy Graves from the doorway into Mercy's office.

"I've been vetting the candidate selections. How did you accumulate this list of doctors and scientists?" Mercy asked.

"Through qualified advice…and it wasn't from Lex," Lena qualified her answer.

"Where did you find Drs. Clemens and Baiul?" Mercy had to inquire.

"I learned of Clemens through sources at NATO that spoke highly of her bioengineering projects to weaponize soldiers. Her work in using engineered RNA viral grafts to modify DNA to create artificial meta-genes in otherwise average people is irreplaceable," Lena shared, "Baiul worked alongside John Lynch in harnessing and activating meta-genes. ARGUS gave me her name and qualifiers."

"Her three pilot programs all ended in disaster. The NOWHERE survivors fled the scene and vanished. The Gen13 program ended with everyone dead, insane, or vanished. And no one can get any data on the Gen14 study," Mercy complained, "Who I would like to see on the shortlist is Caitlin Fairchild."

"Who was MIA after NOWHERE collapsed and turned up with the Teen Titans consulting with ARGUS on deactivating gen factors," Lena told her, "I would have put her on the list but no one…and I mean no one and there are a lot of interested parties, can locate Caitlin Fairchild.

"Have you looked on Coral City?" Mercy asked, "Sarah Rainmaker and other Gen13 survivors have been active there."

"I'll look into it," Lena quickly recovered. She was used to being the smartest one in any room. And that included with Lex.

"I suppose you've given this a great deal of thought since you were a paraplegic six months ago," Mercy stated.

"You've been digging. I find that commendable. Just don't expect me to answer every question," Lena warned.

"Who are the Russians?" Mercy wondered.

"Engineers that reverse engineered the Apokoliptan battle armor Rocket Red himself wore. The test bed armored suits were destroyed by the Kryptonians and that provoked Putin's ire. Medvedev got them out of country into my care in exchange for their services anytime Russia called," Lena shared.

"So, you envision them creating a third gen Team Luthor," Mercy guessed.

"Imagine a national police force so equipped," Lena urged.

"Which would jump us ahead of Caldwell Arms and MARS Corporation," Mercy mused, "But I saw Arvell Hauser as a developing partner. Hauser doesn't build any nonmilitary projects."

"Then it's good we'll be manufacturing them," Lena promised her, "Hauser is just supplying technical know how in exchange a sales percentage."

"After the Caldwell Arms debacle in Gotham, police forces are leery of high end solutions," Mercy warned Lena.

"We'll release the first two units of any order at cost. After the training concludes and they get a taste of the units in action on the streets, they'll want more," Lena had her marketing strategy already planned out, "Afterwards, we'll minimize price by relying on worldwide volume sales and warranty extensions and repairs cost."

"You really are Lex's sister," Mercy finally admitted.

"The one and only," Lena smiled, "Big brother is the technical genius but I'm the business acumen equivalent," Lena boasted. Mercy believed her.

* * *

LuthorCorp had just acquired a twenty story building in Dakota City. The Legion of Doom had taken possession of the building after the corporate purchase. Unbeknownst to most, the building had been the lair and armory of a super villain terrorist group before six months ago. But they'd simply vanished. Just as Dakota City had just appeared in that timeframe.

"Do you believe it wise to operate within Dakota City. It has its own brand of superhero here," Ultra-Humanite queried Luthor.

"Did you know this city did not appear on any maps before six months ago?" Luthor mused, "Nor was it ever seen before that time. At least not on this Earth."

"Pardon?" Ultra-Humanite was confused. Of course Dakota City had existed.

"This city and its inhabitants derived from a pocket universe I've dubbed the Dakotaverse. This appeared where it sits with its infrastructure intact and its inhabitants as blithely unaware of the transfer as the world surrounding it," Luthor was amused by the Ultra-Humanite's bafflement, "Tell me, when was Dakota City founded?"

"I…uh…hrrm," Ultra-Humanite couldn't recall and that annoyed him so much more than Luthor's game.

"Even I am unaware of its true founding date," Luthor let him off the hook, "Everyone simply believes this place has always existed."

"You don't," Ultra-Humanite pointed out.

"I'm an exceptional human being with an incomparable mind," Luthor stated, "Present company excluded, of course."

"Of course," Ultra-Humanite drolly replied, "But as I pointed out, this city is filled to bursting with superheroes."

"Who are all aware of the true nature of their fair metropolis and largely unaware of the world beyond it."

"Any potential compatriots to be found here?" Ultra-Humanite wondered.

"Whatever, or whomever, chose to deposit this city on our fair Earth deemed it necessary to cull certain portions fo the population in the process," Luthor admired that, "As inconvenient as that seems it also pares down the competition for later on when our potential rivals would begin to have a burgeoning awareness of the world beyond. And awareness that would draw the Heroes out."

"So, what do these benighted do-gooders call themselves?" the Humanite asked.

"I just told you," Luthor was bemused.

"The Heroes?" Ultra-Humanite was insulted, "They cross dimensional boundaries and simply call themselves the Heroes?"

"The crossing wasn't of their own accord. There are forces at play here beyond even my current understanding. We have a power destroying universes by colliding them into their antimatter counterparts. Now there is a single universe and a single antimatter universe left. How long will it be before they are hurled together as well?" Luthor wondered, "And what of the pocket universes dwelling outside of our space-time continuum? Are they the true objective to be seized when all else has been eradicated as though it never existed?"

"Meaning New Genesis and Apokolips," Ultra-Humanite was following along.

"As well as Angor and the Time Trapper's universe as well," Luthor revealed, "And we have no inkling as to how many pocket universes will survive annihilation. And how long shall they continue to thrive?"

"For all intents and purposes, Angor and the Time Trapper's Earth are completely devastated and devoid of life."

"Tell that to Glorith," Luthor was amused.

"Excuse me?" Ultra-Humanite didn't understand the reference.

"Once, long ago, the Time Trapper had a confederate named Glorith. Glorith sat at his feet and drank all the knowledge he could bestow. But the Trapper was dying and he dismissed her. When his Superboy died it left the Legion of Superheroes unpowered and demoralized. And so Mordru conquered the far flung future," Luthor explained, "But Glorith, who was now his disciple, wasn't content to sit back and allow Mordru claim a throne of universal domination that she desired for herself."

"So Glorith performed a profane act that combined her magical knowledge with her temporal power. All it cost her was her life," Luthor told him, "But Glorith was reborn at the moment of creation and began weaving the tapestries of time to suit her ends. She came upon the Time Trapper and utterly destroyed him, consuming hs power, his essence, and his very soul. Superboy and that universe were reclaimed, a fact Supergirl is unaware of, but she sent Superboy into her new future and returned to our universe to craft another tool. A hero that would surpass Superboy in might, power, and prestige. And the legend of Valor was born."

"The Daxamite that briefly visited Earth?" Ultra-Humanite was astounded.

"Yes, when the Dominators kidnapped millions to experiment upon, even the Justice League was helpless to follow them. But Lar Gand set out after them. And he liberated the mutated survivors and helped them relocate to new worlds to settle where their powers would assist them in surviving," Luthor described, "But at the moment of his personal triumph, Glorith banished him to the Phantom Zone where he would linger for a thousand years until he was unlocked from his prison by Superboy. And there Lar Gand transformed from Valor to M'Onel in honor of his savior, Kal-El."

"How do you know any of this?" Ultra-Humanite wondered.

"Glorith showed me," Luthor chuckled.

"She is biased, Lex," Ultra-Humanite warned.

"There are three beings Glorith fears because they are the only three she can't erase from existence," Luthor spoke, "Two were unknown to me but are referred as the Monitor and the Anti Monitor. The Anti Monitor is the antimatter counterpart to the Monitor. He destroyed the multiverse for his own reasons. The Monitor has been salvaging pieces of it and placing them here, in the Prime Universe."

"And this third being?" Ulatra-Humanite inquired.

"Darkseid, whom I can destroy but she cannot," Luthor chuckled malevolently, "And I alone of anyone throughout history have unlocked the Anti-Life Equation that allows me to do so. Darkseid cannot destroy me because I need only recite the equation in my mind and he dies. And Glorith can resurrect me again if I'm too slow. And Glorith may be nearly infinitely powerful but she knows her limitations, which is her greatest strength, she realizes she cannot comprehend the equation nor hold it in her mind. So that's where our alliance was born from. We form a trifecta of sorts. Darkseid in his corner, Glorith in hers, and finally I form the other point in the triangular construct."

"And Dakota City is a means and mechanism of the Monitor," Ultra-Humanite grasped it now.

"For purposes unknown," Luthor agreed, "But whatever they are, they will first serve my needs."

"So how do we persuade the local talent to follow us?" Ultra-Humanite was curious.

"We have our UN credentials. We are the face of law and order," Luthor assured him, "They'll follow."

* * *

Ulla had gone out on her own in Sint Maarten while Dick prepared a meal in. She rushed into the bathroom upon returning and locked herself up in it for quite some time. Dick was getting worried when she emerged looking distracted.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Mm? Of course," she still seemed pensive though.

"Here's a fruit salad and rum and Cokes," Dick offered.

"Um…I'm going to have to forswear on the rum for a bit," Ulla let him down easy.

"Problem?" Dick poured the drinks out.

"I hope not," Ulla looked edgy.

"How long do you think whatever will last?" he was growing even more concerned by the moment.

"Usually the condition last for nine months," she revealed a positive pregnancy test.

"Oh. My. God. We're having a baby," Dick round the counter and scooped her up in his arms and twirled her about.

"Put me down," she laughed.

"Why? You can fly under your own power," Dick chided her.

"I'm so glad you're excited I was kind of worried," Ulla admitted as he returned her to her own feet.

"I'm so going to be the father Bruce should have been," Dick vowed.

"We'll you're off on a running start to being the husband you should be," Ulla promised.

Dick poured a pineapple juice blend, "It's a little acidic but it tastes great."

"You don't have to abstain," she advised him, "And I've told you what Atlanteans eat."

"I remember all the raw fish. And I'm not imbibing if you can't," Dick told her, "It's just not fair otherwise."

Ulla rushed his arms and hugged him rather fiercely, "Now you know why I married you."

"Well, I also know you've got that 'I crave raw fish' glint in your eye so let's hit the market," Dick offered, "And you are so on your own on that front."

"Good enough," Ulla agreed.

"You do realize our baby s going to be amphibious rather than aquatic?" Dick asked.

"I'm only aquatic for thirty hours at a time," Ulla elbowed him, "And it'll be something I can share with our child."

"You think it could be twins? A 'his and hers' set?" Dick joked.

"Twins are a rarity amongst Atlanteans," Ulla calmed him and his mad ambitions down.

"I need to call Barbara and Alfred so they can tell Tim. He has enough sense not to tell Bat secrets to Grayle Hudson but he might blurt something if I tell him over the phone," Dick shared.

"Not Bruce?" Ulla wondered.

"He still hasn't forgiven you for kidnapping me on behalf of Luthor," Dick advised her…again.

"I was totally mind controlled!" she protested…again.

"He doesn't have a mind so he doesn't believe it can happen," Dick shrugged, "We won't mention the 'heart' word in relation to him."

Ulla pursed her lips and scowled. Dick changed the subject, "I thought our wedding was fairy tale fodder but to find out your pregnant while on a tropical island, pretty hard to beat, Paske."

"It is epic, Grayson," Ulla agreed, "But I suppose I should step down from being the Little Mermaid."

"You're right," he realized, "I guess Nightwing is retiring."

"You don't have to," Ulla promised.

"I'm not going to orphan our baby and widow you unless you're right beside me. So, the tights have got to go," Dick shared, "I guess we trust fund babies can get actual jobs to pass the time away."

"Omigod! You're serious," Ulla finally realized.

"Completely," Dick stated.

"I always knew this was theoretically possible but after we've been through so much…." Ulla couldn't quite grasp its full importance to Dick.

"Ulla, it wasn't like I didn't hang up my tights when I was with Spyral," Dick reminded her.

"You are not playing James Bond again," Ulla advised it, 'That's as suicidal as being Nightwing."

"I know, I'll fish out my law degree and pass the bar," Dick decided.

"You're a lawyer?" Ulla was astounded, "But you're not soulless and slimy."

"You're too funny," Dick said drolly, "I have a standing job offer at a legal clinic that does pro bono work for non-criminal clients."

"Could they use a hand?" Ulla wondered.

"Always," Dick promised, "Anyway, we earned the right to wear our costumes and we've equally earned the right to burn them."

"You're right on both," Ulla finally owned the decision, "We've earned the right even more to just be Dick and Ulla."

"And that won't be changing," Dick predicted.

* * *

Denise Madigan caught up with Joe Higgins has he prepared to teleport from Liberty Station to Summit, Colorado to visit his mom, "Hey! We haven't had time to catch up."

"I was just headed out to visit mom," Joe told her, "And I need a date."

"So you're going out?" Denise asked hopefully.

"My mom is introducing me to her gentleman caller friend she's been seeing for a year now while I've been bouncing all over the word as the Shield."

"So you said you needed a date," Denise hinted.

"Mom's providing one. Her protégé is named Marcy Holt," Joe shared.

"So are you two…?" Denise fished around.

"Marcy and I are just friends. It would be hard to be anything else with this life of mine," Joe told her.

Which Denise recognized as a non-answer, "Well, I'll check Summit out while you go out."

She stepped onto the teleporter platform and Joe stared at her, "What? It's a free country we're fighting for. I promised myself I'd see the entire country. Summit is just a check off of my list."

"Why don't you join me for dinner, Flag Bearer?" Joe finally offered.

"Only if I'm not intruding, Shield." Denise gave him an out.

"Marcy will understand," Joe promised.

As the teleporter took effect, Denise knew Marcy wouldn't. But Denise felt it was a good time to size up the competition.

* * *

"So you share this apartment with Tea…I mean, Karen," Courtney Whitmore looked around, "Completely low key for a billionaire."

"Karen bought it and runs it like a rent control building," Mary Batson explained, "And then there's Karen's cat."

The indolent piece of fur stared at them with its one eye as they passed by. It was indignant its busy job of cleaning itself was being so rudely interrupted. Courtney came into the main living space and yelped, "My God! It's a freakin' electronics store."

"Starrware developed most of the high end components for this equipment. The manufacturers were quite generous in handing examples out to our employees," Mary seemed dismissive.

"Must be nice," Courtney was drooling over everything.

"This is going to replace the Samsun Galaxy and iPhone as the hottest phones available," Mary predicted.

"Why do you say that?" Courtney asked.

"Those companies let you image while you speak," Mary dialed Courtney's iPhone.

"This is stupid," Courtney complained.

"Just answer," Mary cajoled her.

Courtney did and over the speaker she heard Mary tell her to hold the phone out. Of course, Courtney heard it live in the room as well, "Now what?"

"It's locking on," Mary advised and then Mary's image appeared out of the phone.

"Jesus!" Courtney almost dropped her phone and then she saw her full bust and torso displayed floating next to Mary.

"Oh. My. God!" Courtney was absolutely stunned.

"We get a lot of that," Mary told her to hang up, "We bought the patent from Michael Holt."

"Mr. Terrific?" Courtney was surprised.

"He actually developed the tech ten years ago but no one could manufacture it until now," Mary explained, "So Karen scouted the patent, lined up a manufacturer, and then put internal designers to creating the chipset and image emitters necessary to pull that off. The hardest part was getting the image to rise out of older phones. Too old and they can't do it at all."

"Can I be put on the employee list?" Courtney asked, "Mike would pay me everything he had for some of this stuff."

"I suppose you came over for that long overdue conversation about my trip through Hell," Mary sighed.

"Billy won't leave me alone about it. And Black Adam ain't talkin'," Court lectured her, "We're supposed to be best friends but I had to find out by almost accident you'd created a new life and that Galatea was now freakin' Karen Starr."

"Actually, she created the Karen Starr identity on paper three years ago," Mary explained.

"While Blackhawk was still alive," Courtney realized.

"Yeah, before life literally went to Hell," Mary grumped, "I saw Blackhawk there. He was being tormented because of some rule that he wasn't a disciple of the Son of God."

"Have you told Gal…Karen?" Courtney asked quietly.

"It doesn't come up in casual conversation," Mary complained.

"Yep, you're screwed," Courtney finally realized.

"Thanks so much," Mary groaned.

"You know you've missed me," Courtney replied.

"Yeah, I actually have," Mary admitted.

* * *

Rhosyn Forrest used the Birds of Prey teleporter to send Lydia Fellin to Elm Harbor, Michigan. There Maria de Guzman had been a student along with her roommate, Tracy Dickerson. Latham had provided the address and everyone's identities because he wanted Jaguar's head back in the game. Which meant Maria and Lydia had to come to terms so Jaguar and Cat-Girl wouldn't be prowling like they were in heat.

Tracy was an obvious WASP-type from her poise and demeanor. Not to mention the patrician stare she gave Lydia. She wondered how Maria put up with it.

"May I speak with Maria?" Lydia asked.

Tracy frowned. It wasn't a protective judgment. It was more akin to being put out over being displaced as the center of the universe's attention. Lydia was increasingly amused by Tracy.

Maria showed up as Tracy stepped away, "You!"

"Me!" Lydia waved a hand, "Just joking. I just came to talk."

"Alone? In the dark?" Maria asked.

"We both know we can take care of ourselves. But you could hold my hand if you need to," Lydia suggested.

"Do you ever stop?" Maria groaned.

"I don't know yet. This is all pretty new to me," Lydia confessed, "Just as it is for you."

"Shut the damn door!" Tracy yelled across the apartment.

"Let's go," Maria grabbed a light jacket and they headed off towards a local park, "Now behave."

"I always behave. I behave badly but that counts as behavior," Lydia grinned.

"You are so hopeless," Maria groaned again.

"Feels that way to me too," Lydia confessed.

"Why is this new to you?" Mari wanted to know, "How long have you been Cat-Girl?"

"Three years and the cat goddess doesn't come with a user's manual. I approached your aunt last year before she died. She told me what happens when a female Jaguar meets a Cat-Girl. She was very well versed in being the Jaguar. Which is a lot more than I can say about you," Lydia shared.

"Tell me about it," Maria complained.

"If you'd stayed in the Amazon jungle you'd probably have this all figured out by now," Lydia told her and got a glare in reply, "Just saying."

"My aunt tried to dissuade me from coming to the United States as well," Maria confessed.

"All I know is three years ago the current Cat-Girl got herself killed. It turned out I was her offspring conceived between her and your aunt. So I naturally, if completely unexpectedly, went from being former foster care debutante to being Cat-Girl. Everything else since then has been based on instincts and compulsions that eventually led me to you aunt and I found out she was my 'father' of sorts. It was like waking up and discovering your father had done hormone replacement therapy, feminization and sexual reassignment surgeries to transition to womanhood after your birth.," Lydia revealed, "It was probably as mind blowing as my turning up to you."

"So you understand why I won't have sex with you," Maria guessed.

"I understand. I just don't know how much choice we have," Lydia admitted.

"We always have a choice. I abstain," Maria declared.

"So be it," Lydia sighed.

"So you agree?" Maria wondered.

"No, I'm more finely tuned to my instincts than you are. But you'll abstain and I won't force myself on you," Lydia shared, "But if you ever come to me willingly, I will take you."

"Fair enough," Maria agreed.


	16. Chapter 16

17

Selina Kyle owned the ten story brownstone she lived in. She and Kitrina Falcone occupied the uppermost floor. The rest of the tenets all just wanted a peek at Catwoman or claim bragging rights for living in her building. She'd had to install all manner of anti-intrusion gear and locks not to keep the competition out; it wouldn't slow them down, but to keep her tenets from conducting panty raids. Literally.

So when Selina came through the front door, she was more than aware of a presence. She flipped on the lights, "Oh. It's you."

"Dismiss the child," Batman ordered.

"Unlike some, I don't keep my working partners in the dark, figuratively or literally," Selina retorted, "But I suppose that's why you don't have any anymore. And very…interesting…getup. I like the red bat symbol though."

"I want to hire you," Batman told her.

"Now this is a definite first," Selina almost swooned.

"The job should take up to four weeks," he estimated.

"What is the job?" Selina asked.

"I want you to observe Jaina Hudson and her criminal associates," Batman answered.

"How do you know she has associates, criminal or not?" Kitrina asked.

"Girl has a point," Selina admitted, "And Hudson was tight with Bruce Wayne. Why doesn't he just ask her?"

"She'd just lie," Batman grated.

"Not everyone lies for a living," Selina remarked, "All present excluded, of course."

"Hudson's number one association is with the White Rabbit. They even live together," Batman revealed.

"Kinky," Selina grinned, "The society doll and the number one go-go dancer, fetish queen."

"Can you do it?" Batman ground out, "It's worth a hundred thousand a week to me."

"Darling, there was a time I would have done it for free," Selina told him, "But now it'll cost you a half million flat fee."

"That isn't the offer," Batman said grudgingly.

"It is now," Selina dickered, "My guess is the White Rabbit is expecting you. Jaina Hudson too. You wanted the best, here I am. But the price isn't negotiable."

"Apparently it is," Batman replied.

"Humor isn't your strong suit," Selina warned him, "And this offer expires in sixty seconds and Kitrina and I walk."

"You'll have your money," Batman said flatly.

"Filthy lucre," Selina corrected him, "Now, tell us what we need to know."

"White Rabbit sees herself as a kingmaker. In this case, her selection is Knightfall," Batman explained.

"So a queen maker as well," Kitrina quipped, "I should send my thanks to Knightfall for dismantling the family business."

"Knightfall can be found in Three Towers," Batman told them.

"Charise Carnes' developmental pride and joy," Selina paused, "You aren't telling me…?"

"Carnes is Knightfall," Batman simply declared.

"So her three year stint before exoneration was willingly spent in Arkham. She chose to go there," Selina realized.

"And now White Rabbit wants her to rule Gotham," Batman concluded the thought.

"Anything you want to say about Jaina Hudson?" Selina probed.

Batman left. Kitrina was appalled, "You used to sleep with that guy?"

"He wasn't always this way," Selina sighed, "That was his way of sparing my feelings, I guess."

"He slept with Hudson?" Kitrina yelped.

"I doubt it. But he may think he's in love with her. He has no idea what that even means," Selina was saddened by that thought, "But first things first. We do our research before we begin observing people in action."

"I meant what I said before," Kitrina advised Selina, "I should be congratulating Knightfall."

"I rather doubt Knightfall is as altruistic as you believe her to be," Selina warned.

"I wonder what Huntress would think?" Kitrina amused, "You think Helena even thinks about life here?"

"You can take the girl out of Gotham but not the Gotham out of the girl," Selina promised her, 'I know because I've tried."

"And we didn't join the Birds of Prey why?" Kitrina asked.

"I belonged to two Justice Leagues. You were with me for the Justice League of America. How much profit did we make with them?" Selina asked.

"There's more than profit out there," Kitrina argued.

"Non-profit can't afford places like this to live," Selina lectured.

"You're just mad `cause you didn't score with Col. Trevor," Kitrina accused.

"Maybe," Selina allowed.

* * *

"I didn't know Joe was bringing his kid sister," Marcy Holt told Denise Madigan.

"I'm a friend. Joe doesn't have any siblings," Denise replied tersely.

A fact Marcy knew all too well. She gave Joe Higgins an exasperated look. Joe shrugged. Which wasn't very helpful.

"Joe seems to bring a lot of friends on our dates," Marcy said coldly. First Maria de Guzman and now Denise. Maria had been a nonissue. But Denise…Marcy couldn't get a read on Joe's feelings for her. Which could be very good or very bad.

"So how do you know Joe?" Marcy finally relented enough to be polite.

"Denise's father worked with Joe's uncle Roger," Mary Masterson, Joe's mother, explained.

"Dusty Madigan? As in 'Dusty the Boy Detective'?" Marcy didn't like where this was going, "But he retired when Roger went missing, or so you told me."

"He's back in uniform," Denise informed Marcy.

"Did he keep the name?" Marcy asked.

"Uncle Roger had a bulletproof suit and a chemical infusion that him stronger than ten men. The suit was sabotaged and destroyed by acid when or after Roger left. The notes to the chemical process were also missing," Joe explained, "The DoD accidently created an impervious shield and gave it to Dusty to carry on after the Shield was revealed to be missing in action. But Dusty stood down and reentered normal life. But he kept the shield. The Pentagon was so distraught they never noticed the records surrounding the shield vanished with Roger."

"So he's back in the hero game," Marcy grasped it fully, "And you don't worry?"

"First, it was my idea to go into the family business. Second, my dad picked up the shield and joined me," Denise informed her.

"Um…so you…work with Joe," Marcy guessed.

"Not yet but maybe someday," Denise sounded encouraged.

Marcy cast an irritated glance Joe's way. And he seemed impervious. She was beginning to think she needed to wear a pair of tights.

"You have a name?" Marcy hated being curious.

"My dad is Shieldmaster and I'm Flag Bearer," Denise was proud to say.

Personally, Marcy though Denise's moniker could use some work. But the blatant patriotism was appealing to someone like Joe. It was some very calculated thinking on Denise's part. Marcy hated her already.

Mary quietly laughed to herself. Joe was being shrewd. The two women were wearing themselves out and he was waiting to see who took the low road. But an all too real possibility was that both of them would turn on Joe. After all, they hadn't figured out yet they had far more in common and only a year's difference in age between them.

* * *

Mia Deardon glared at her guest. Carrie Cutter had arrived at the Queen Estate and bluffed her way past the domestic staff. And Carrie was more infamously known as Cupid just as Mia was increasingly infamous as Speedy.

"Look, I know you don't want me here," Carrie freely admitted, "I certainly don't want to be here but I need your help."

"With what?" Mia was snappish.

"It's Ollie. He's…sick," Carrie hated to share.

"Ollie is dead," Mia said flatly, "I don't know what Nyssa Raatko brought back to life but it wasn't Oliver Queen."

"Nyssa said there might be complications from Ollie being dead for so long before going into the Lazarus Pit. I just had no clue what they would be," Carrie sighed.

"You should have thought of that before you went balls to the walls to get Ollie resurrected," Mia was dismissive.

"You said it wasn't Ollie," Carrie smirked, "And haven't you ever done something crazy for love?"

"Maybe," Mia didn't want to remember. When she was still Red Arrow and with the Teen Titans dating Protector, they'd been patrolling when they had unprotected sex in the heat of the moment. Jason Hart had become infected with her HIV as a result. The HIV turned into AIDS within weeks and before a year was out he was dead. Which why she would _never_ make that mistake with Conner Hawke no matter how heated the moment was.

"Like, I changed Ollie's name to Everyman because he's what every man should be," Carrie elaborated, "But he's one of a kind. He just has one teensy flaw."

"And that is?" Mia bothered to ask.

"When the arrows start to fly, my Everyman is getting indiscriminant about targets," Carrie explained.

"Those archery killings in the news aren't Meryln or his son, are they? They're Ollie," Mia ventured.

"They haven't pinned on my man yet because they think he's still dead. But my little hearts of love are kinda obvious," Carrie shrugged.

"Why hasn't the news made the obvious connection?" Mia wanted to know.

"Like I said, the beat cops and detectives think Green Arrow is dead and your guy they still call the Arrow," Carrie shared, "I don't know why Waller would still be protecting me."

"You were part of the Suicide Squad," Mia dimly recalled.

Emiko Queen entered, "Who is this?"

"Emiko meet Cupid," Mia said, "Emiko goes by Red Arrow now. Her full name is Emiko Queen."

"I don't understand," Carrie confessed.

"She's Ollie biological daughter," Mia delighted in revealing.

"Well, Ollie had a full life before we got to together. He's never said a word about her."

"She's speaking in the present tense," Emiko pointed out.

"Oh. My. God! You haven't told her Ollie is alive!" Carrie realized, "What about Conroy?"

"Conner," Mia grated, "And no, I haven't."

"Don't you think they deserve to know their dad is alive?" Carrie felt triumphant, "I could be a step-mom."

"Oliver Queen is dead," Emiko persisted.

"No, he's not. I have proof in me every night after we go on patrol," Carrie oozed confidence.

Emiko studied Mia, "Nyssa Raatko?"

"Exactly," Mia said sourly, "Only the process was incomplete because he'd been dead for too long."

"You should come over and we'll do a barbecue," Carrie enthused, "You can start calling me 'mom'."

"I have one mother," Emiko angrily told her, "And besides you're not much older than I am."

"So invite your mom as well as your dip wad brother," Carrie relented.

"Why are you even here?" Mia asked again.

"Contact Nyssa and ask her how I keep Ollie-kins from killing everyone or all of Seattle will need a Lazarus Pit."

* * *

"The paradox factor almost stymied the Monitor when he merged the Dakotaverse into the Prime Universe," Luthor addressed a council comprised of the Thinker, Mr. Mind, and Blackstarr. Blackstarr was still contemplating Degaton's demise and the method employed to insure it. Luthor continued, "Every other universe that injected members into our own had subjects that differed slightly. For Superman there was Lord Superman of Earth-2, Ultraman of Earth-3, and Overman from Earth-10. It went into ad naseaum throughout the Multiverse. But the Dakotaverse and the Prime Universe shared a single, identical Static."

"But the laws of probability dictated that the Prime Static had a firmer foothold in our existence so the Dakota Static was eliminated. The Heroes still mourn Virgil Hawkins and quietly catalogued the difference between their world and the Earth they now resided on. The first major discovery was none of their arch criminal nemeses made the transition with them. Even petty crime had been significantly reduced now that the Heroes weren't distracted from dealing with average crooks.

"Why is it these people transferred over without being noticed, except by you?" Thinker thought Luthor was delusional.

"Reality warped because it wasn't just a handful of individuals brought here. It was an entire metropolis and urban arena to go with it. Over a million people came with Dakota City so our awareness of it adapted to its need to be accepted," Luthor explained rather drolly.

"Dakota City would be the most flagrant addition to our world," Ultra-Humanite agreed, "It seems as though time itself were altered to change our perceptions."

The Humanite's eyes suddenly widened and Luthor saw he finally recognized Glorith's hand in all of this. Luthor had told him Glorith had backed Luthor against Darkseid but it was far more subtle and much deeper than that postulation. Glorith wanted to insure her dominion over the future where she came from but in order to do so she had to secure the past from the Anti Monitor. Which meant working beside the Monitor until such time as his usefulness ran out.

"And why are you aware of these changes when we're not?" Mr. Mind protested.

Ultra-Humanite heard Luthor spin the 12th Intelligence fable again. In reality, he was aware of the change because Glorith wanted him to be so. Just as their plan for the Justice League wasn't its overt destruction but rather it shaming. The JLU would form the first wave of shock troops pitted against the Anti Monitor when the Crisis finally reached the Prime Universe.

The first step was to capture Grail and bend her to Glorith's will and set her against Darkseid in a direct confrontation. The prophecy concerning Darkseid being eliminated by his child didn't apply to Orion. Orion wasn't even Darkseid's son. Kalibak was far too loyal and dimwitted to oppose his father. But Grail shared all of Darkseid's power and even less of his restraint.

"So why bring us here and tell us this?" Blackstarr asked, "Most of these wretches are what you Americans so generously dub 'minorities' or sexual deviants."

"But these people do not know us," Luthor decided to ignore her racial and sexual slurs, "They are as powerful as the Justice League and are totally unaware of our criminal pasts. But their world shared a United Nations as well as ours. Our credential provided by the UN will lend us credibility and therefore persuasiveness when we unleash the unimaginatively named Heroes against the Justice League."

"So we use them as cannon fodder," Blackstarr grasped his meaning.

"Now someone begins to take my meaning," Luthor nodded his encouragement to Blackstarr.

Blackstarr began to wonder what it would be like to bed Luthor. She supposed she could ask the woefully pathetic Slav witch, Tala.

* * *

Atom Smasher floated in the basement. The field containing him didn't allow for much movement and certainly no size changing growth. The agony of touching the field borders caused Atom Smasher to black out.

Tala and Lady Lunar chose to visit him. Lady Lunar addressed him directly, "Comfortable yet? By now you've figured out you can't escape. Just a heads up, a conference is currently underway where Luthor is deciding what to do with you. In other words, you'll be useful or die."

"Y'know, this would be more enjoyable if I had a dance partner," Atom Smasher suggested.

"You wish," Lady Lunar snorted and she exited.

"I'll be guarding you," Tala told Atom Smasher.

"Well, since everyone is so confident I can't escape that means you're guarding me from something," Atom Smasher deduced.

"Certain Legionnaires believe you should be tortured for the sheer sake of the torture itself," Tala explained, "And Giganta is feeling so guilty regarding your capture she may release you into their hands inadvertently."

"I didn't know you cared," Atom Smasher quipped.

"I'm not a monster," Tala told him, "And I'm not stupid despite what others may think."

"I might need proof of that," Atom Smasher goaded her.

She conjured a bag she'd stored in a dimensional tesseract. Pulling a urinal along with food and water, she floated the contents into the field for Atom Smasher to take hold of.

"Um…can you look away?" he asked.

Tala turned her back to him. But she watched using a mirror.

* * *

John Stewart finished recharging his power ring, "I wish we were home."

"The ISA has to be camped out on our doorstep. The price of a very public identity," Shayera Hol waggled her wings, "I think I'm almost healed."

"The public scrutiny might be roughest on the kids," John allowed.

"Kids? As in plural?" Shayera asked.

"Is that an issue?" John wondered.

"You tell me," Shayera replied, "We've been so obsessed with Rex we never discussed having or even wanting other children."

"So let's have that conversation," John requested, "When I was in the future I didn't exactly have time to bond with Warhawk and we certainly never discussed siblings."

"Maybe he had daddy issues," Shayera gibed.

"God, I hope not," John groaned.

"He probably wouldn't if his parents were around more often," Shayera opined.

"Shay, there's something I have to tell you," John suddenly decided to share.

"This bodes ill," Shayera retorted.

"Hal Jordan wants me to stand down. He sees our marriage as a hindrance to my doing my duty to the Corps," John shared at last.

Shayera released a string of profanity in both English, other human languages, and several alien tongues as well. John was happy his ring only translated a fragment of them, "They have my replacement for Earth's Green Lantern picked out. I was supposed to surrender my ring to her three weeks ago."

"So excuse us for being busy," Shayera was in a foul mood now, "Who is she?"

"Jessica Cruz," John told her.

"Our resident Power Ring?" Shayera was surprised, "How do they propose to take the Ring of Volthoom off of her without killing her?"

"The GL ring would protect her and force an eviction," John explained, "Then she could contain the Ring of Volthoom and bring it to Oa for study."

"And if the green ring can't protect her?" Shayera asked.

"Then Jess dies," John said grimly.

"Which would suit Jordan's ego just fine," Shayera said angrily.

"How can you say that?" John was aghast.

"Pretty damn easily," Shayera admitted, "You're the only other Green Lantern to harness the Ultimate Will other than Hal Jordan. Sidelining you makes him more important. Jessica is the only one to ever tame a Ring of Volthoom. Making her expendable as well. Alan Scott can also compete with Jordan with sheer willpower. Only Sentinel's ring isn't an Oan power ring but crafted from the Starheart, made before power rings."

"You'd better be wrong or someone may force the issue," John predicted.

"Then if they come here I hope they like a mace upside the head," Shayera promised.

* * *

Gypsy further confessed to Cisco Ramone that her parents called her Cindy rather than Cynthia. And her last name was Reynolds like his was Ramone. Giving them both the initials CR. Cisco was thrilled. Gypsy insisted he still call her by her assumed name.

Cisco asked her out to an underage club. Gypsy admitted she loved to dance but she was more interested in private dances with just the two of them. Cisco readily promised those would come after a few hours clubbing. It was the smartest thing he could have agreed to.

* * *

"Not to be too blunt but my understanding is Amazons lose their immortality and virginity simultaneously," Steve Trevor told Artemis.

"Do you want to have sex with me?" Artemis asked him.

 _Fortune favors the bold,_ he thought, "Yes."

"Good. I've wanted you since we met," Artemis confessed.

"But…" Trevor stopped and questioned her.

"Hippolyta's sister, Antiope, led our tribe of Amazon up the Nile. There we raided Greek and Roman caravans for mates. I've had sex with many men and even more women. We needed to procreate because we didn't share Hera's gift of immortality."

"Being with you would honor me the way my grandfather would have been honored to have been with Princess Diana," Trevor admitted.

"Then follow me into this alley. We're having sex. Now!" Artemis demanded. Trevor happily went along with it without argument.

* * *

"Oh, Plas, Ah swear he's grown six inches and at least four pounds," Penny gripped Plastic Man tightly as they gazed upon the sleeping Plastic Baby.

"He is stretchable," Plastic Man replied.

"Don't go all reasonable," Penny warned him, "Ah know he missed us. Did ya'll see how grateful he was to see us again?"

"I thought that was your mom giving us that look," Plas chuckled.

"Well, our bouncin' baby boy literally bounces. It's hard for her to keep up," Penny advised him, "An' Ah told her we'd pay for the china hutch an' everythin' in it."

"Even your mom's dog and cat looked grateful to see us come home," Plastic Man observed.

"Well, Snuggles is getting' pretty old and Snickerdoodle is used at bein' the most agile thing in any home," Penny explained.

"I resigned from the Justice League," Plas finally confessed, "The FBI is setting us up as unattached operatives."

"Is Hula Hula comin' with?" Penny asked.

"The team is finally breaking up," Plas said sadly.

"Poor Hula," Penny felt bad for him.

* * *

Zinda Blake and Natalie Reed went out on the town. Zinda played wingman while Nat's eye patch gathered a crowd. And Natalie's stories of being a Blackhawk pilot wowed men and women alike. As agreed upon, the evening was Natalie's. Zinda stayed out of it except to prompt Nat's next story.

Of course, Zinda's knowledge drew questions but she deflected everyone. Of course, Natalie true history as a Russian Mig pilot stayed buried along with Zinda's past with the Blackhawks during World War II. Not only were such matters impolitic, the process used to preserve Zinda was an international secret and they would end her life for divulging it.

* * *

"So you've never been to an authentic Brooklyn pizzeria before?" Donavan Wallace asked Jessica Cruz.

"Until I became Power Ring I never came to New York before, city or state," Jessica told him.

"I was a beat cop with the local precinct," Donavan shared for the first time, "So I can find any kind of food you want. But this is a taste treat. Apparently Superman's oldest daughter pops in for a slice when she's visiting Earth."

"I'll take your word for it," Jessica smiled, "You look good without the mask."

"But I still have to stay General Glory incognito, "Otherwise I revert back to being a quadriplegic."

"Why do I think you've never shared that with the group?" Jessica asked.

"Because I haven't," Donavan admitted.

"Thanks for trusting me," Jessica said, "I was wanted for a murder I was framed for before the Ring of Volthoom found me. It's why it found me. I was scared all the time. But I'm not anymore. Present company has a lot to do with that."

"Thank yourself," Donavan quietly took her hand, "And my timing sucks because here we are."

"Let's walk around the block again so we can work up an appetite," Jessica suggested.

* * *

"Where did you find this?" Valentina Vostok asked.

The table had a bottle of finely aged vodka sitting on it. Christina Molotova shrugged, "It only took a couple of minutes to try every possible locker combination. This was inside one."

"Get some glasses and I'll provide the ice," Killer Frost requested. Tonight she'd just be Louise Lincoln again.

"It's weird that you're famous," Tefe Holland remarked.

"This Earth's Lana Lang is famous. I'm just riding her coattails. But I was famous back home too," she admitted.

"Why?" Tefe wondered.

"I was a Galaxy Broadcasting anchorwoman," Lana chuckled, "I was television's Lois Lane. After the Justice Lords took over I broadcast for an underground freedom network."

"You don't have to do that here," Tefe was relieved.

"We'll see," Lana demurred.

* * *

Laura Cynthia Neilson and Jay Abrams left the emptying opera house. Jay was enthused, "It's too bad we never created opera on Angor."

"It is…intriguing," Laura said in a subdued reply.

"I'm glad you conjured up some unsold tickets," Jay told her and then paused, "What's wrong?"

"It was just time to do something for us," Laura said.

"I know I must be a lousy date but have you ever considered putting yourself out there again?" Jay asked.

"Now isn't the time," Laura replied.

"Will it ever be time?" Jay was truly concerned. He knew how lonely Laura was and how she craved an intimacy he couldn't provide.

"After the Crisis passes and if we've survived, then I'll finally start dating again," Laura told him.

"Mind explaining that?" Jay wondered.

So Laura briefly described the death of the multiverse and the imminent danger the remaining universe faced, "Angor is safe for now. It's our refuge in case everything goes wrong."

"I have to admit that's a helluva dodge," Jay conceded.

"Thanks. I try," Laura gave him a conspiratorial smile.

* * *

Anna Fortune returned at last to Fate's Tower to discover who Nabu had chosen to be Dr. Fate. The gestalt between Lord of Order and human host was coming to an end. Nabu had withdrawn from the helmet that had contained the Lord of Order and now a fraction of his power and wisdom resided within it. But with Kent Nelson retired and Khalid Ben-Hussein dead, Nabu had searched elsewhere for a champion.

Shazam was facing the same choices as the Lords of Order withdrew from the mortal realm. The brokered truce between Order and Chaos meant that the Age of Chaos would return in scant years. But this Age would be tempered by Order's agents and mortal champions that had arisen.

But with little progress having been made locating Al Rothstein, Anna had decided to employ her scrying stone once more to locate Atom Smasher. With Nabu and the Nelsons gone, there was no one left to forbid her from using the stone.

But what she learned when she entered the tower and arrived at the central living quarters was that Nabu hadn't chosen one champion. He'd selected two. Eric and Linda Strauss would merge to become Dr. Fate. And Linda was Eric's stepmother as well as his lover. A fact that made Anna rail inside. Nabu's choices had become increasingly bizarre after Kent stood down after decades of service. But the Strausses defied every law of conventionality. Not to mention unwritten moral codes. Her stone also revealed Linda was sexually involved with Eric's sister as well.

Anna found the situation, and the Strausses, utterly repellant. But she conceded she needed their help…as Dr. Fate. So Eric and Linda merged and Fate addressed her, "What is your petition?"

"Tala is blocking my searches for Albert. I need you to find him," Anna told hir.

"Atom Smasher is irrelevant. Only the Unity matters," s/he replied.

""You have enough unity for several lifetimes," Anan was repulsed by this creature.

"You disapprove of us and our relations," Dr. Fate replied, "Go. You are unwanted in this tower. Fate is closed to you. Seek your answers from the Lords of Order…if you can."

Anna packed her meager belongings and teleported to New Mexico where she petitioned Carter Hall about lodgings.

"The JSA is reopening the New York Brownstone," Carter shared, "I have a room reserved there for when I attend Justice Society business. Alan, Ted, and Jay would love to have you live there as well."

"You've discussed my case before there was one?" Anna was in a fit of pique.

"Given Fate's new nature and…inclinations, it was obvious there would be a rift," Carter told her.

"Then stand there and we'll be off," Anna told him before he could protest.

And they were in the brownstone. Carter smirked, "Very efficient."

"Wait until I get going," Anna promised.

Carter inputted her biometrics into the brownstone's upper floor living spaces sealed off from the museum below. And the top seven stories beneath the seemingly harmless building stretched the original JSA headquarters.

"Your roommates will include Young Justice when they're on outings and training missions. Like I said, when I help the JSA out I'll be bunking here. And Sand resides here which is only fitting beings he inherited the mess from Wesley Dodds."

"Should make for interesting evenings," Anna was grateful and admitted as such.

"I rejoined the Justice Society because Nabu's prophecies of the end of the universes have come true. Khufu knew they would and stored those memories in such a way all of his later incarnations remembered them," Carter shared.

"You came aboard to guide the JSA," Anna realized.

"Just as you and the Silver Sorceress will guide the Justice League and the Hangman will guide the Mighty Crusaders," Carter shared.

"Which Hangman? There seems to be Hangmen in abundance," Anna said drolly.

"The Satanic one," Carter revealed.

"Satan, concerned about humanity? I rather doubt it," Anna scoffed.

"He's fallen but he's an angel nonetheless and therefore privy to knowledge we don't have and will never acquire. The Lords of Order have it all wrong by withdrawing. The Lords of Chaos underestimate the problem. And the New Gods will be distracted by Grail and her campaign to kill her father," Carter divulged.

"Darkseid," Anna understood now.

"So the fate of the universe falls on the people of Earth," Carter told her, "This is where the Anti Monitor will focus his efforts."

"What about the Monitor?" Anna asked.

"What about him?" Carter asked in return, "You should get settled in. Roxy will check on you in a while. The fridge and kitchen are beneath the museum level and are always stocked. There's a cleaning lady and a cook on call. So if you excuse me, I have actual work waiting for me at home."

"I'm sorry I whisked you away," Anna apologized.

"I needed the distraction to refocus my thinking anyway," Carter assured her, "Good night."

Anna teleported him back to New Mexico. And then she quickly unpacked. And dressed down before assuming the Lotus position on her bed and searching the globe with her scrying stone desperately looking for the only other man she'd ever loved.

* * *

Gen. Jack Latham registered Eric Adams in as a MLJ counsel in the matter of the JLU vs. the United Nations charges brought against them by the Hague. Eric had been pleased to discovered the MLJ legal room in Liberty Station already had a Braille printer. And the MLJ had requested all of Jean Loring's filing from the World Court. And Eric was amazed to discover there weren't any. Just a plea agreement regarding the Atom. Which was a unique defense. Save one and castigate the rest. And Jean had proposed expanding the charges to include the recently adopted members despite their ostensible lack of participation.

But Jean couldn't have been operating singly. The last filings expanding universal guilt to anyone that had ever been a JLer proved it out. That didn't have a legal standing to support it and Jean was too savvy a lawyer to know otherwise. So the question boiled down to: whose interests was she really representing despite her being contractually obligated to Ray Palmer and the rest of the Justice League? If malfeasance was proven, Jean would be disbarred and pay exorbitant fines.

He addressed the matter with Latham and they concluded the Hangman stood a better chance of unraveling the mysteries. Especially with help from the Shadow Crusaders.

* * *

"You have a contract for me?" the Persian asked Domino.

"There are players I want removed from the board before there's further game play," Domino told her, "The White Rabbit is attempting to prop up Knightfall's vision of controlled vigilantism and vice. Maggie Sawyer is looking at bringing the program to New York City on behalf of the NYPD. Captain Mara Taggert is investigating its merits for Metropolis. If all three urban centers subscribe then it will go global and interfere with our mutual interests."

"So who do you want eliminated?" Persian asked.

"Sawyer, Taggert, Knightfall, and the White Rabbit. The last two being the only real difficulties," Domino replied.

"Tell the mayors to begin accepting résumés, send your condolences to Knightfall's Disgraced, and perhaps we'll discover if the White Rabbit is operating entirely on her own or if there are loved ones involved," Persian predicted.


	17. Chapter 17

27

The law offices of Isherwood, Lawrence, and Loring were located in Hartford, Connecticut. Hangman was there and had Jean Loring under observation. Or rather his crow did. There were four offices at the top floor where the senior partners practiced. Three offices were occupied while the fourth awaited a new senior partner to join their ranks.

The tenth floor was ringed by a balcony. It was there that the crow perched on the railing keenly observing Jean's every move. Through the mystic link binding the bird and the Hangman, he saw everything the crow observed. But that rendered Hangman blind to the happenings on the adjacent rooftop where he waited for the crow to return.

* * *

"Someone got lucky," Shayera Hol remarked as Superman took his seat for the briefing. Superman blushed. Justifiably pleased with himself but embarrassed to have been so easily found out.

"Should we be congratulating Barda too?" John Stewart chuckled.

"I thought we didn't have any dedicated staff detectives anymore," Superman said.

"It was just simple observation in play," Shayera told him, "Frankly I was surprised Barda let Obsession live."

"For all the good it did," Superman stated bitterly, "Dana Dearden still died protecting my life."

"But she was messed in the head," Hula Hula had heard all the stories.

"Out of the mouth of pineapples," John chuckled.

"And need I mention Artemis is bouncing around here like a racket ball, Col. Trevor?" Shayera smirked.

"Has the word 'privacy' have any correlation in Thanagarian?" Steve Trevor asked her.

"Shayera invented it," John promised, "Your secret is safe with her and us. But no one is vouching for Artemis."

"Was it somewhere romantic?" Shayera asked.

"Not the first three times but we finally reached somewhere reputable," Trevor allowed himself to answer.

"Three plus?" John whistled, "I knew she was wound tight. But Shay and I underestimated her need to release."

"We really need to get to this morning's business. Because you're going to hate it," Trevor promised.

"How do you know that?" Superman asked.

"Because Hula and I already hate it," Trevor told them, "Latham put a lawyer on reviewing Jean Loring's defense. And what he found was a plea agreement for the Atom and none of you."

"So we'd be covered under the defense," Superman guessed.

"There is no defense. Just the one plea agreement," Trevor told everyone, "Latham's lawyer is the blind Hangman. Hangman's theory is that Jean is answering to a source at the United Nations. A newly appointed and highly ranked source."

"Luthor," Shayera blurted.

"Furthermore, Jean's petitioning the Hague to issue arrest warrants for our newest members and prior members of the Justice League. Legally there's no grounds but Jean is pressing hard on the issue," Trevor shared, "So Latham is observing Jean and sending a team to acquire the complete file history. Hopefully there will be bread crumbs leading back to Luthor."

"Does Ray know?" Superman asked.

"No, and we're keeping it that way," Trevor told him, "The last thing we need Ray Palmer doing is alerting Jean to the operation."

"This is terrible," Superman lamented.

"Eventually he'll be told," Hula Hula assured everyone, "But first we need the truth to tell him not half the truth and a theory."

"Speaking of atoms, any word yet on Atom Smasher?" Superman asked, "I promised Anna Fortune we'd locate him."

"Luthor has to have him because no conventional, and a number of unconventional, methods have failed to locate him," Trevor reported, "So the sooner we track down Luthor the faster we find Al Rothstein."

"Where is Anna?" Superman asked.

"She's missing," Huila Hula told him.

"Missing?" Superman was alarmed.

"Super senses and he can't keep track of one woman," Shayera groaned.

"She frequents Al's apartment or Fate's Tower," Hula Hula informed him.

"So there you go," Superman seemed pleased the matter was resolved.

"Has someone been lacing your corn flakes with kryptonite again?" Shayera asked, "Anna is one of our most powerful members and she's killed people to protect or avenge her lover. So imagine what she'd do if Atom Smasher is harmed or dead."

"Ending with the entire Legion of Doom dead or wanting to die or otherwise Anna being held hostage beside Atom Smasher," Superman finally grasped it.

"I knew you were an investigative journalist for a reason," Shayera rolled her eyes.

"So what happens to Jean?" John asked.

"If Latham can prove she's working against your best interests, she'll face disbarment. If she's in league with Luthor, she'll face prison," Trevor promised.

* * *

"I summoned you to assist the Hangman on a vital manner," Latham informed the Falcon, the Wizard, the Press Guardian, Mr. Midnight, the younger Web, the Scarlet Avenger, and Bob Phantom. Press Guardian and Bob Phantom had discovered each other's affiliation with the printed press. Scarlet Avenger and Falcon had conferred with Web to learn why she was attached to the effort. Wizard tried to play enigmatic while Mr. Midnight was enigmatic and cosmic all in one without making an effort.

"Why would the Hangman be in jeopardy?" Mr. Midnight asked, "He's protected by the Prince of Hell."

"This is the other Hangman and he's investigating the Justice League's lawyer and her possible connection and true service to Lex Luthor," Latham explained.

"Meaning there will be trouble," Falcon correctly surmised.

"More trouble than we're used to handling," Press Guardian warned everyone.

"Don't wuss out on your first mission, guys," Web chided them.

"She's right of course," Bob Phantom and the surviving American Crusaders had joined with American Shield to infiltrate Brain Emperor's organization. But eventually the neural blocks eroded and he telepathically detected their duplicity. The MLJ had barely extracted them in time to save their lives. Their reconciliation with the Mighty Crusaders was a work in progress.

And so they were relegated to the Shadow Crusaders rather than assigned to the Mighty Crusaders. American Shield was still bitter over that but Doc Strong and Firefly were happy with the arrangement. Captain Commando had been dismayed to learn there was a younger man using his code-name. They were currently off the grid sorting things out.

"We need to move forward on this," Bob Phantom urged. His poodle yapped its agreement.

"You make me ashamed that I doubted the justice behind our cause," Scarlet Avenger shared, "We'll need assistance with our exit strategy and I know just who to call in Hartford."

"I can get us in the building and around inside it if I have a distraction or seclusion," Wizard promised.

"General, could you contact Dr. Jones?" Press Guardian seemed refocused, "I believe he can help immensely."

"Then Nevada Jones will join you," Latham promised.

* * *

"Bor-ring," Catgirl complained as she assisted Catwoman in observing Jaina Hudson. Jaina lived at the pinnacle of a brownstone identical to Selina Kyle's. Jaina even owned the building just like Selina. She spent the days moving from one charitable organization to another, including the Wayne Foundation. Most nights were reportedly spent at fundraisers but that particular evening Jaina was home alone.

Or at least until she stood alone and stretched out a hand. Catgirl peered through her binoculars, "What is she doing?"

"Wait for it I guess," Catwoman replied.

A miasma of colors streamed forth from Jaina's fingertips and they wrapped into a humanoid shape and finally coalesced into the White Rabbit who touched Jaina's fingers with her own.

"Shit effin' cool!" Catgirl blurted.

"So that's Batman's secret," Catwoman said softly.

"Wait! What's she doing?" Catgirl was apprehensive.

White Rabbit went to the window and aimed a finger at them and made a shooting motion as she whispered, "Bang."

"Damn! She's onto us," Catwoman moved away from the edge and began packing their equipment.

"But how?" Catgirl was stymied.

"How indeed?" White Rabbit said from behind them.

"You're fast," Catwoman remarked.

"I'm a bunny. They hop really fast when threatened," White Rabbit stated.

"You knew we were coming," Catwoman said.

"I knew _someone_ was coming. Batsy won't confront us himself or as Brucie Wayne," White Rabbit sniggered.

"What the hell, Selina? Batman is Bruce Wayne?" Catgirl was affronted to have been left out of the secret.

"You. Will. Not. Tell. Anyone. That. Secret," Catwoman grated.

"But why protect him?" Catgirl asked.

"`Cause Batsy is an incredible lay," White Rabbit sighed.

"You too, huh?" Catwoman groaned.

"Okay, I get it" Catgirl was defensive, "I also get that he screws anyone willing to spread their legs."

"I had Brucie hostage and used Ivy's mind potion to take advantage of him. I just happened to recognize some of his road map of scars," White Rabbit snickered.

"He does read like a topographical map," Catwoman allowed.

"And he's a marathon runner in bed," White Rabbit reminded her, "He went from mind control to enjoying himself."

"Um…I'm underage so if this is going pure porno, let me walk away," Catgirl advised everyone.

"You need to get out more," White Rabbit pouted.

"No thanks," Catgirl said dismissively.

"What's your deal with Knightfall?" Catwoman asked White Rabbit.

"Is that what this is about?" White Rabbit laughed, "She'll be flattered. But she must be on to something to make Batsy and you two nervous."

"She's cornering every market and I don't take it well answering to something," Catwoman admitted.

"So Col. Trevor and Batsy must say," White Rabbit retorted, "But Knightfall hasn't given you a second thought."

"What makes you say that?" Catwoman asked.

"You don't work inside Gotham's borders anymore. You aren't in her team and you aren't dead. Simple deduction actually," White Rabbit explained.

"So that answers my question," Catwoman told her.

"Oh, and by the way, Knightfall is rolling her business model nationwide. It's a done deal," White Rabbit told them, "My role is disposing of Intergang."

"Good luck with that," Catwoman snorted, "So say hi to Jaina for me."

"Jaina is actually pretty fond of you, Selina. You might want to leave us alone," White Rabbit suggested.

Catgirl caught the hint and started packing up as well.

White Rabbit observed them until they left the rooftop. Catwoman addressed Catgirl, "I don't care what she says. There's more going on so this isn't over yet."

Catgirl grinned.

* * *

The Shadow Cabinet in the Dakotaverse had controlled and manipulated meta-human activities. Bereft of their leadership, the Heroes had been staggered to learn the Shadow Cabinet also existed on Earth Prine. But their principal arm was defunct since Stormwatch had been destroyed by the Kandorians. And while the Shadow Cabinet had come together to direct the activities of the Demon Knights and various other operatives throughout the millennia, they had withdrawn from worldly affairs for reason still unknown.

Dakota City still resided beside the Mississippi River. Its closest neighbors were Central City and Keystone City. But most of their inhabitants would freely admit they've never visited a city less than one hundred miles away.

Unlike most of Earth Prime's major heroic teams, the Heroes were mostly ethnic and sexual minorities. Which given the racially charged atmosphere generated by the previous President, the Heroes could easily have been persuaded to take up the banner of racial violence. But they refrained knowing that it wouldn't change the conditions. Only a positive message and role modeling could effectively generate a lasting change in everyone's paradigm.

The Heroes were actually dismayed by the clashes between protesters, counter protestors, and the ever increasing police violence. The fear mongering and outrage had been purposefully generated and exacerbated and not one super villain had ever been involved. The only winners in the campaigns were the hate groups and their swelling ranks.

Olivia McKay promised official policies that were more proactive and gentler towards sensitive racial and sexual issues. The United Nations' ranks swelled with intolerant regimes. But the Justice League had once had Booster Gold as a member and his marriage to a transgendered woman had bought them some consideration regarding their own prejudices.

But the paring down of the JLers' numbers had eliminated most of the minority members. And the Justice Society had Mr. Terrific but no other racial minority if you ignored the Martian, M'gann M'orzz. The Mighty Crusaders were also included in the firing line as their membership remained stagnant and exclusively Anglo Saxon, War Eagle excluded.

Luthor had made contact with the Heroes and was addressing them with a small representation of the Legion of Doom, "I know your factual history from your home universe. The one the history books of this world omits. You have come here for reasons you still do not fully comprehend. I've approached you on a matter of grave importance. You've read the coverage of the crimes the Justice League Unlimited has committed. I can assure you as Global Policy Advisor these accusations carry an unshakeable and unwavering burden of proof. These crimes happened beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt and the Justice is responsible for them."

Luthor knew the crimes had been perpetrated beyond doubt. He knew because the Legion of Doom had committed the genocidal atrocities. Over ninety percent of the population of Corto Maltese had been slaughtered. And the scant remaining survivors had done so under the duress of accusing the Justice League. And Candace Zither's mercenaries were on the island to enforce Luthor's dictates.

Of course, the Zither Group had sent a penal unit. Mercenaries and security contractors too volatile and deviant to employ in civilized combat. Zither had reported hundreds of cases of rape and a few murders. Soon, the population would either be pregnant, dead, or dying. And Luthor's Russian and Chinese allies served as UN Security Forces and they rarely strayed from their barracks. Luthor knew the Russian and Chinese military forces were cataloguing the Zither Group's crimes and would be using them in a vain attempt to ouster Luthor's hold on the United Nations.

"The Heroes have an obligation to defend the world from such fallen icons," Luthor knew the mightiest member of the Heroes, Icon, would not appreciate that word play, "So, the world, as represented by me, comes to you to ask what will you do now that the United States is sheltering genocidal maniacs? Maniacs that President McKay herself is protecting behind legalese."

Luthor was hoping for a double blow here. One against the JLU and one against McKay herself. The team leader, Iron Butterfly answered for the group, "We stand a strategic advantage here in Dakota City. You say Superman and the others hate and despise and your Legion of Good. Inform them you are here. We'll do the rest."

"When will you be ready?" Luthor asked.

"Give us six hours to fully assimilate the data you brought and then make the call," Iron Butterfly told him.

Luthor was pleased the Legion of Doom had been out of the news cycle for the six months Dakota City had been present on Earth Prime, "My Legion of Good can begin briefing you collectively and individually. In fact, they're waiting to begin."

The teenage Rocket checked her watch. Her son would be getting out of daycare in twenty minutes and her mom couldn't cover for her. She told Icon and excused herself.

"Is there a problem?" Luthor asked crossly.

"Family matters," Icon's deep bass resonated, "She will return in two hours."

Luthor studied one of the Heroes closely. She wasn't listed in his information on them. And she'd dyed her bleached hair back to black. Valerie Komoya was from Earth-10. Blitzen had travelled west from New York and arrived at Dakota City. The perfect place for a reluctant Nazi to hide. Upon arriving a week before, she'd disposed of her New Reichsmen uniform and created an ad hoc costume and set about catching petty crooks.

Blitzen caught the eye, in so many ways, of Donner. Donner was a German born immigrant to Dakota City and immediately felt a bond with the Ukrainian born Blitzen. And both were natives of other universes. Donner was sworn to protect Blitzen's origins. And the unlikely pair were swiftly falling in love. An expression of Blitzen's long hidden true sexuality, liberated at last from the Nazi persecution of gays, lesbians, and transgenders. Despite many high ranking Party officials being homosexuals or crossdressers. Himmler himself had been a deviant same sex pedophile. It was little wonder when that news became public that the "Little Chicken Farmer" found condemnation in Hitler's eyes. Condemnation that spilled over to benign homosexuals and transwomen and men.

But Donner represented everything Blitzen had ever wanted to be. And Donner persuaded the Heroes to take on their new protégé based on her word only. And Blitzen loved her all the more for it.

The Heroes were seated at last and the Ultra-Humanite and Signalman passed out dossiers on the Justice League personnel, the Hall of Justice, and overviews of the MLJ Initiative. Ultra-Humanite opened the floor to preliminary questions in order to debunk the mythos around the JLU.

Hardware asked the first question, "Why doesn't your 'Legion of Good' take these jokers on?"

"Because we're known quantities. But the Justice League will naturally underestimate you convinced of their own innate superiority," Ultra-Humanite told them, "You have the raw power coupled with extensive experience to deal with them."

"Hey, you line `em up and I'll mow `em down," Bad Betty promised.

The East Indian woman called Plus was troubled. She hosted the kinetic spirit of her sister and Narnie was equally troubled by this budding arrangement. She/they could see Icon was similarly disturbed by where events might be leading towards.

Iota, Ramjet, Starlight, Windshear, and Oro saw this as an opportunity to solidify their place in this new world. But Dusk was obviously troubled as the packets unfolded. Donner and Blitzen were too enamored with each other to fully concentrate on the larger issues. And Blitzen seemed disgruntled by the Justice League already.

* * *

The MLJ teleporter system shared with ARGUS placed the Shadow Crusader team atop the Isherwood, Lawrence, and Loring building. It was a ten story affair with the partners occupying the top floor, and Hangman's crow observing Jean Loring. Hangman had ridden a cloud conjured by his Native American medicine bag bequeathed to him by the same shaman that gave Eric Adams his crow to see with and the bag to fight further injustices with it as thanks for all Eric had done for Native American tribes across the United States.

Hangman heard the Shadow Crusaders arrival since he couldn't see it as well having been blinded by operatives of an oil firm seeking to despoil a reservation and legally challenged by Eric, "We need Jean Loring's original case files and motions. Billing records would also be invaluable. I'll alert you if she leaves her office for any reason."

"And how exactly do we go unnoticed?" Web asked.

"Presto change-o," Wizard snapped his fingers and everyone but Hangman and Mr. Midnight appeared to be wearing civilian office attire.

"The senior partners occupy this uppermost floor. The associates and junior partners are on the next descending floors. Law clerks and other clerical staff occupy the next four floors," Hangman told them.

"That still leaves three floors unaccounted for," Falcon reminded him.

"One floor is legal records and billing accounts with the other being the archives," Hangman chuckled, "The ground floor is the lobby and the security offices."

"Security?" Scarlet Avenger asked.

"Zither Group contractors," Hangman shared.

"I'll distract the partners," Nevada Jones volunteered.

"Snookums and I will take care of the junior partners," Bob Phantom sat his poodle down.

"I guess that leaves me the associates," Falcon stated.

"The clerical staff should be too busy to interfere," Hangman told them, "Mr. Midnight and I will remain here to serve as backup if it's required."

"I'll proceed to the ground floor and lock security in their offices," Press Guardian announced.

"Once you're separated from me, the illusion will only last thirty minutes," Wizard warned Press Guardian, Bob Phantom, Falcon, and Nevada Jones.

"Then we'd best get underway, " Nevada Jones urged.

* * *

They used the roof access to the stairwell to reach the top floor. Once inside the corridor connecting all four offices, Nevada Jones affected a stumble and began proclaiming, "My God! I need to speak to an attorney on a mineral right contestation. Money is no object!"

"That should work," Web snickered.

The group quietly transferred to the floor's elevator access.

The next floor, Bob Phantom said, "Watch this."

The doors opened and Snookums raced out with Bob Phantom chasing him, "Of Fifi! Heel! Heel I say! Oh me, oh my. Whatever shall I do?"

The group broke out laughing when the doors closed. Falcon was the next up, "Ever watch me play dead?"

He staggered and stumbled out of the elevator onto the main firm floor and weakly gasped, "Help!"

And then he collapsed. Lawyers and assistants rushed to his side, "I have no heartbeat or pulse."

Web looked worried after the doors closed. Scarlet Avenger reassured her, "Falcon trained in Tibetan monasteries. He can slow his heart to a death-like state for fifteen to twenty minutes and then slowly bring it up. He'll be fine."

"We're on," Wizard advised them. They went to the records and billing because the case was still open.

The clerk there disdainfully asked them, "Can I help you?"

Wizard conjured a search request complete with a blur that the clerk saw as Jean Loring's signature, "We need copies of all of the Justice League files."

"I thought that matter was settled," the clerk sniffed, "We're transferring everything to the archives."

The clerk suddenly took notice of the Web, "How old are you anyway?"

The illusion was too fact based to disguise the fact she was only fourteen years old, "How old you?"

"No need to snippy," the clerk snapped and handed a printout to Wizard, "Here are all the relevant case file catalogue numbers. And does it really take all three of you?"

"I'll stay here while you show the intern around," Scarlet Avenger decided.

Wizard and Web began tracking down the files. Web advised him, "We'll want the record of discovery along with motions, injunctions, and all case notes written by Loring herself. Then the billing record should be in an attached folder."

Wizard stopped and stared at her. Web shoved him onward, "What? My mom was a paralegal."

"Remember we only have twenty more minutes," Wizard warned her.

"Always on a clock," Web muttered.

* * *

Mia Deardon visited with Rhosyn Forrest beneath Sherwood Florist, inside the unofficial headquarters for the Birds of Prey built beneath the florist shop. Rhosyn had taken Mia's news hard, "I knew you and Conner were in deep but Dinah kept telling me not to worry. But I'm affiliated with some bad ass women that want to take you two down."

"Conner and I?" Mia was dismayed.

"Well, the whole Red Hood and the Outlaws company, you two included," Rhosyn clarified.

"Why us and not Cupid?" Mia was frustrated.

"It's the whole 'paid to kill bad guys' motif that rankles most," Rhosyn shared.

"That was Red Hood's idea and Ravager was the first to back him. When Emiko cane on board, she was a fan favorite of the idea. Knave hasn't killed anyone…yet, but Ravager tends to finish off anyone Knave subdues. Conner and I just fell back into it because it seemed easier than trying to hand the thugs over to the cops. And there's no short supply of other bad guys wanting our targets capped," Mia explained.

"But you didn't have to use the Queen Estate as your headquarters," Rhosyn advised her, "The Knight and Squire know Knave is town. And I can't hold on to your secret much longer. My conscience dictates I have to share your location in let's say…three days from now?"

"That's better than I could ever expect," Mia gushed, "Thanks Rhosyn."

"Thank Dinah. She insists that I should trust you in what you're doing," Rhosyn sighed, "But then again, Black Canary is now the head of the League of Assassins. So go figure."

"Don't forget Dinah married Nyssa Raatko," Mia grumbled.

"There's that too," Rhosyn noticed Mia was saggiung and her eyes were drooping.

Mia apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sleepy all of a sudden."

"Sedatives do that," Rhosyn told her.

"You drugged me?" Mia tried to throw a punch but Rhosyn swept her into a restraint and Mia sagged to the floor. Rhosyn dragged Mia to the sole detention cell in the underground lair. Locking Mia inside, Rhosyn rested her bum knee while she called the Birds of Prey already in town.

"You were right to call us," Talon told her, "Huntress is personally tracking Red Hood. Batwoman, Hawkfire and I are engaging Knave and Ravager. Spoiler and Bluebird are tasked with apprehending Green Arrow. And finally, Black Cat, April Amazing, and Savant are going to take on Red Arrow. Spy Smasher is working alone against Cupid and the Everyman."

"No one gets hurt," Rhosyn demanded, "That was the deal."

"That's entirely up to them," Talon grated, "Cupid, Knave and Ravager are the biggest threats. From what you've told us, Everyman is a psychotic and we may have no choice but to put him down."

"'We' I thought Spy Smasher was working alone," Rhosyn stated.

"We're hitting Knave and Ravager hard, fast, and brutal and when they're down, we'll hand them to the police and move to support Spy Smasher," Talon was getting irritated. But when wasn't Helena Wayne irritable?

"Red Hood and Red Arrow are the unknowns. That's why we're throwing so many bodies at Red Arrow and our fearless leader is taking out Red Hood herself," Talon sneered.

Rhosyn and everyone else was tired of Helena Wayne's power grabbing moves against Helena Bertinelli. Eventually there would be an epic showdown between Huntress and Talon and nearly everyone was rooting for Huntress. All that remained to be determined was how physical the confrontation would be.

Several Birds had been left out of the operation to apprehend the Outlaws. Rhosyn had an idea of which reservist would be ideal in securing the Outlaws' safety and the opportunity to live to stand trial. The only question was how cooperative Poison Ivy would be.

* * *

The Justice League abandoned its plan to interrogate Candace Zither, Arvell Hauser, and Ivana Baiul. Col. Steve Trevor explained why, "We received a ransom demand from the Legion of Doom. They're holding Atom Smasher in Dakota City."

"I've never heard of it," Superman confessed.

"I admit I had to look it up myself but it's one hundred miles south of Central City and Keystone City," Trevor shared.

"Smaller I take it," Superman deduced.

"Actually it's larger than either with a larger population," Hula Hula added to the conversation.

"Then why haven't I ever taken notice of it before?" Superman was perplexed.

"Because it wasn't there six months ago," Supergirl told them.

"It does seem too large to have gone unnoticed," Superman decided.

"You're not listening. It literally didn't exist before six months ago," Supergirl was seriously annoyed.

"I know it must seem that way, Matrix," Superman did everything but pat her on the head like an unruly child.

"It's especially odd given its ethnic diversity. Whites are a distinct minority and other racial groups dominate. Sexual diversity is equal to or surpassing San Francisco," Shayera Hol read.

"And it's south of the Mason-Dixon on the banks of the Mississippi?" John Stewart asked.

"Exactly," Shayera confirmed it.

"Matrix is right. This is too weird," John agreed, "Major metropolises don't just appear out of thin air."

"Thank you," Supergirl huffed.

"Whatever is the case, we must go in hard and rescue our comrade," Wonder Woman declared.

"Speaking of which, where is Anna Fortune?" John wondered.

"Or half the team," Hula Hula was disgruntled, "I'll blip everyone's signal device with an update but if they aren't listening already…"

"I still don't understand how none of us ever knew this city existed before today," Superman kept mentally looping.

"Because it wasn't there. At least not when I arrived on Earth Prime," Supergirl shared.

"What did you do? Memorize world maps?" John chuckled.

"I happen to have a photographic memory and I was curious how similar this world was to my old Earth," Supergirl explained, "So for everyone that hadn't been listening, that's precisely what I did. And Dakota City wasn't on any map or in any book before six months ago."

"We need to see how thoroughly this city integrated with our world," Trevor decided, "That means histories and a rundown on current events stretching back before six months ago."

"I'll lead that effort," Shayera volunteered.

"I'll prep the incursion," Trevor told everyone.

"Sweetest music to my ears," Artemis decided.

* * *

Stu's Diner resided in Brooklyn twenty blocks from the Hall of Justice campus. And outside of it, an argument was underway, "No! I didn't order a sign that says 'Fats'. Who'd want to eat at diner advertising 'Fats'?"

The sign maker stared down the proprietor, Stuart Mosely, "Hey, I just make `em the way I took the order. Ya ordered a 'Fats' sign so that's what I'm givin' ya. Do ya want me ta make ya a different sign?"

"Yes," Stu groaned

"Well first ya gotta pay me fer this one," the sign maker insisted.

"I'm not paying for the wrong sign," Stu stated.

"Ya won't be payin' me fer annuder sign either `cause I ain't makin' one `till ya cough up," The sign maker loaded the disputed item back into his truck.

"I'll take you to small claims if I have to," Stu warned him.

"Good luck wit dat one," the sign maker laughed, "Ya still ain't payin' fer it are ya?"

"Damn skippy," Stu told him.

"Now what am I supposed ta do with a sign that says 'Fats'?" the sign maker asked.

"You should have been thinking that when you made it," Stu lectured him.

"Tell ya what, I'll give it to ya," The sign maker pulled it out and thrust it into Stu's hands.

"You've got to be kidding me," Stu groused.

"Nope. See ya in court," the sign maker laughed as he got back into his truck and drove away.

"Nice souvenir," Lana Lang laughed, "I guess certain things are universal on any Earth."

"Lana, you made it," Stu seemed surprised.

"I did call this meeting," Lana dryly observed.

"Yeah, but you're busy Justice Lording it now," Stu teased her.

"They aren't the Justice Lords…yet," Lana assured him, "But with Lois dead on this world, Clark needs me close to temper him. Especially since he's bedding that New God just the way Lord Superman screwed Precious until her brain popped out."

"Precious didn't have many marbles to begin with," Stu ruefully remarked, "And Marian is complaining about chef's statue of liberty meatloaf."

"Like I said, some things are universal," Lana wryly commented on Neo Joker.

* * *

Inside Stu's Diner, they sat across from Marian Drew as she skeptically stared at the statuesque meatloaf, "So why the Earth-2 survivors group therapy session?"

"We know what these people are facing and we have to help them find a way out," Lana insisted.

"Look, I don't pretend to understand why this Monitor guy chose us three out of billions of people to survive the death of our world. And I'm not sure this one can die," Marian glanced at Stu, "But he had his reasons and I don't think it was for us to come here to this universe and die anyway."

"Batman gave us his fortune so we could come here, blend in, and start fresh," Stu reminded her.

"Yeah, and with your share you bought and renovated a crappy diner in an even worse location. Smart thinking, Stuart," Marian mocked him, "And for the love of God, does that bloated Elvis impersonator ever leave that corner booth?"

"Who says he's fake?" Stu asked.

"Yo King! Give us a line!" Marian called out.

The King sang several refrains from a popular Elvis song and then launched into an original.

"Satisfied?" Stu smirked.

"I'm having serious doubts over here," Marian admitted.

"The King is looking for privacy. That's all," Stu told her.

"In that sequined monstrosity of an outfit?" Marian doubted all over again.

"I thought Elvis went home in this universe as well," Lana commented.

"He missed Earth so he's back," Stu shrugged.

"Let's cut the crap, shall we? Why are we really here?" Marian got impatient.

"I'm watching over the Justice League so I can guide them when it becomes necessary. Marian can do the same for the criminal elite," Lana proposed, "If we can't unite our new world's forces, then we don't stand a chance."

"On our world, the Joker reformed and became a trustee at Arkham. Here, he's missing and presumed dead. I'm taking the throne he abandoned," Marian declared, "`Nuff said, true believers."

"And once you do, the Neo Joker can present herself to Luthor and rally him and his allies into a stand against the Anti Monitor," Lana advised, "If they don't, the world's superheroes won't be enough."

"Good point," Marian allowed.

Lana's signal device sounded again, "Damn. They must actually be serious. Save some meatloaf for me."

"No promises," Stu retorted.

"How the hell did your cook get it to stand up like that?" Lana had to ask.

"Chef's trade secret," Stu quipped.

"In other words, don't ask," Marian advised her.

"Bon appétit," Lana grinned as she made an exit.

"Ah, what the hell? You have to die from something," Marian carved the torch bearing arm and the head and served herself with it, "Damn. It's actually good."

"Chef may be temperamental but he knows how to cook," Stud took the abdomen.

"So are you ready to the secret weapon of last resort?" Marian asked Stu between bites. She wondered if there was a secret addictive ingredient.

"I'll do what I always do. I'll annoy him to death," Stu promised.

* * *

"Just as a precursor, has anyone here heard of Dakota City before five minutes ago?" Trevor asked the finally assembled JLU.

"Of course they haven't," Supergirl snorted.

"We have a mystery gang. Everyone seems to know Dakota City should exist right where it's at upon hearing its name but no one can ever recall a sound byte of news coming from there," Hula Hula explained, "Supergirl alone remembers a time before Dakota City existed and then just appeared intact on our world. Yet despite its infrastructure and highway artery links, no one here in this building or at Liberty Station even knew it existed."

"No one ever hears about the smaller cities," Vibe commented.

"It's bigger than Central and Keystone Cities combined," Trevor then told them about the ethnic population diversity, "And it houses a dozen superheroes with powers rivaling your own."

Shayera read of a list of names, "No one has ever heard of these people either. They don't make the evening news and no one has ever approached them from the DEO or ARGUS. They exist in a vacuum that began six months ago."

"History book chronicle the development pre-Civil War of Dakota City and its settlement phase but one minute it was a dirt poor trading town that supplied wagon trains to eventually seem to wither away before World War I and now it's _the_ major Midwest metropolis to rival Chicago. How is that possible?" Hula Hula asked.

"We ruled the mystical out by contacting Madame Xanadu. Whatever or wherever Dakota City came from it was a product of science. But further inquiries regarding the matter couldn't be asked because now Madame Xanadu is missing. So is our resident mystic, Anna Fortune, and the JSA's supernaturals, Dr. Fate and Hawkman," Trevor reported.

Shayera's head jerked in his direction upon hearing that news. John knew she still felt responsible for Carter. And her memories of Shiera Hall, the first Hawkgirl during World War II, had begun to surface. Hawkman and Hawkgirl had been founder members of the Justice Society of America until they were killed in 1952 just months before most of the JSA vanished into Limbo.

Trevor resumed, "Point blank is we need to go in and rescue Atom Smasher. Need I remind anyone of how Anna will react if she comes back to find we knew where Al was and just left him in Luthor's custody?"

There was nervous laughter over that, "The problem is we don't have a clue as to how Dakota City is laid out. Satellites don't pass over it and neither the MLJ nor ARGUS has any presence there. Road maps don't exist and atlases just show the highways. The teleporter network is even a blank slate where Dakota City is concerned. But there is a listing for a regional airport."

"We also can't count on a decent reception from these Heroes," Shayera warned them.

"If they're truly heroic they'll embrace us and our mission," Superman declared.

Barda face palmed. Hula Hula spoke up, "Except Luthor has the authority of the United Nations vested in him."

"We have the MLJ," Superman preened.

"An agency that didn't publically exist before three months ago," Trevor deadpanned.

"Air transport won't be problem even in light of Penny's resignation," Zinda Blake promised, "Nat can fly the Invisible Jet and I'll take my fighter."

"Will your eye be a problem, Ms. Reed?" Trevor asked.

"Is it a problem for the Lady Blackhawk pretender or Deathstroke and Ravager?" Zinda asked coldly.

"Deathstroke and his daughter are meta-humans. Lady Blackhawk is, well, she's a Blackhawk pilot," Trevor tried to be delicate.

"So was Natalie before she lost her eye," Zinda angrily retorted.

"Colonel, I suggest you let this go," Hula Hula interjected, "If Zinda says she's ready then she's ready. And more importantly, if Natalie feels ready she deserves the chance to fly the Invisible Jet or the Ghost Rider again."

The Ghost Rider was the transport Natalie had adapted out of ARGUS airframes and parts. When Natalie flew Penny and Zinda to Antarctica to retrieve the Invisible Jet and X-35B-2 Natalie had then flown the Ghost Rider to Brooklyn. So Trevor knew she could fly in hellacious conditions. The question was whether or not she could fly in a combat drop zone.

"All right, Natalie, I won't be the one to keep standing in your way," Trevor decided, "With Penny and Plas gone and Anna MIA, anyone else wanting to bow out?"

"Um…yeah," Gypsy spoke first, "I joined the Conglomerate for a reason. The stipend the JLU pays is nice but it doesn't cover the mortgage and other major medical bills my parents had accrued and left behind when they were killed. I need real money fast to catch up my arrears."

"Could the MLJ…?" Hula Hula asked.

"Hula, the MLJ already tripled its size and expenses in its third year…this year. John Raymond can only cover so much of the Web Agency's costs and Congress didn't budget for them or these 'Shadow Crusaders'. Congress is debating an emergency funding bill as it is," Shayera hated to tell him, "And when we lost our UN status we lost Max Lord's coalition of corporate sponsors that funded us. We're just adding to the MLJ's burden."

"Claire has a side project developing. It's basically a 'heroes for hire' concept where superheroes would hire on as privatized security," Gypsy told them.

"Sign me up," Vibe volunteered, "I didn't just get together with you just to lose you again."

"Claire contacted and got commitments from Reverb and Echo," Gypsy smiled.

"The Ramone brothers ride again," Vibe had a cocksure grin.

"I'm…sorry it reached this point," Trevor confessed.

"It wasn't anyone's fault. But the reason I moved in with my parents again was because they were so sick. They still went a million dollars in debt to treat their illnesses. They were actually improving when they died," Gypsy said sadly, "I'll just bow out quietly."

"It's been real," Vibe offered and they escorted one another out.

"Any other news?" Trevor was still reeling.

"I'm leaving and returning to Florida where I need to consult with the Parliament of Trees to decide my future," Tefe Holland announced, "Don't hold my place open because I know I won't be coming back."

Tefe stood to exit, "I know I've only been a JLer for a day but I actually I'm sorry to leave you in a lurch."

"Next?" Trevor was discouraged,.

"Actually, I have a fight to pick," Silver Sorceress spoke up, "You consulted every manner of sorcerer and witch but you neglected consulting me. Why?"

"You've said your magic is different on a fundamental level because you're from Angor," Trevor shared, "I didn't think to ask."

"Didn't think is right," Silver Sorceress was still peeved, "The nuances are different but the thrust is constant."

"I'll bear that in mind next time," Trevor allowed.

"You have to start trusting us, Colonel," Blue Jay insisted.

"I hate to remind you of your history with the JLU and afterwards with Nyssa Raatko's Injusticers. We're all learning trust one another again," Trevor stated, "We take each lesson and move on from it. Good enough?"

"For now," Silver Sorceress allowed.

"Then here's to building trust," Trevor saluted them.

* * *

The listings recorded a regional airport out of Dakota City. Yet by the schematics, it should have been an international airport. But there were already two within easy driving distance. So the status of the airport was downgraded to accommodate the new reality. Or so the theory went.

Emil Hamilton at STAR Labs was intrigued by Supergirl's insistence and recollection that Dakota City had been a failed western expansion trading town before the Dakota City literally appeared overnight and it was now a thriving metropolis. Internal city newspapers reported an abundance of superheroes but there was no mention of any super villains. In fact they referred to something referred to as a Schism where super villains vanished overnight.

But that seemed to be the only knowledge that residents had of their own shift into a different universe. Like the surrounding world, everyone's memories and knowledge base seemed to have adapted along with the transition.

Zinda scouted things from the air before calling the Invisible Jet in. Trevor's concerns had been unwarranted. Natalie Reed was an excellent pilot who knew how to compensate for her lack of depth perception. And brought the XB-1A-2 Invisible Jet in for a smooth landing. When air traffic control saw the Justice League exit the bomber, they quickly reported their arrival on the Heroes Hotline.

Trevor and Shayera stayed with the mobile ops center in the plane. Shayera kissed John for luck. Trevor and Wonder Woman shared a quiet moment but no words were necessary. Green Lantern and Power Ring assisted those that needed swifter transport to the address Luthor had provided.

Once there, the Heroes had formed a staggered line to intercept the Justice League. Icon faced Superman, "They tell me you are an alien who fell to Earth."

Supergirl's story rang true. After all, who hadn't heard of Superman thanks to the _Daily Planet_ and Galaxy Broadcasting?

"I understand you also came to Earth," Superman meant from the Dakotaverse.

"Yes, I too fell from the stars as a child and was raised a slave. I discovered my powers as a young man after the Civil War. Since then I kept a quiet life for over a century passing my home down to myself in various guises. My young protégé convinced me to become Icon to help the people of this city and even the world at large," he explained, "And my guise flaunts the longevity I typically seek to disguise."

"Why are you opposing us?" Superman asked.

"I've seen the arrest warrants issued against you and I've seen footage of the eyewitness testimonies," Icon told him.

"We helped those people days before someone attacked them," Superman protested.

"I'm certain you helped them into an afterlife," Icon said somberly, "And you have the opportunity to defend yourself in court yet you defy the world body and international justice. Now I give you one last opportunity to surrender."

"And I'm suggesting your newfound friend, Lex Luthor, forced the survivors of the slaughter of Corto Maltese into testify as he saw fit. Just as he is holding the United Nations hostage," Superman said.

"Simply conjecture. The Legion of Good showed us footage of them repelling alien invaders and battling you as your jealousy drove you to try and kill them," Icon countered.

"Why would we do that and still call ourselves the Justice League?" Superman wondered.

"One man's justice is another man's crime," Icon declared.

"Look, I have to get inside that building because a teammate of mine is in mortal peril. Please don't try and stop me," Superman applied super speed and tried to go around Icon only to find his path blocked, "So you're fast."

"I'm much more than that," Icon proclaimed.

"I don't want to get physical but I will if you do not step aside," Superman warned him.

"Do what you must," Icon replied.

Superman attempted to shove Icon aside and found himself flipped and on the ground. Icon's grip seemed unbreakable.

"Now, let us discuss the particulars of your crimes." Icon suggested. Superman finally realized he was in trouble.

* * *

"What are you? Twelve or fourteen?" Barda asked Rocket.

"I'm seventeen," Rocket replied.

"Too young to be a mother on this planet," Barda remarked.

"How do you…?" Rocket sputtered.

Barda patted her arm cuff above her bicep, "Mother Box. Your hormones have adjusted to after birthing and you're lactating."

"So your name is 'Mother Box"?" Rocket snickered.

"No, idiot child. I'm Barda, formerly Big Barda leader of the Female Furies. Mother Box is a sentient computer which this device allows me an interface to," she explained.

"I'm gonna break it and you," Rocket proclaimed.

"This shouldn't take very long," Barda unclipped her mega wand and aimed at Rocket. While she did so, Rocket's hands charged with kinetic energy. So when she blocked the mega wand's beam, it fractured and went in every direction.

"Good. This is better," Barda decided, "Things might get interesting after all."

* * *

Green Lantern knew he was in trouble. Starlight processed and emitted electromagnetic energy….including visible light. And specifically, she could discharge yellow light. The sole weakness of a Green power ring of Will.

As Starlight limited John Stewart's ability to harness his ring, she began discharging superheated plasma balls heated by infrared energy. She coupled the plasma balls with microwave and ultraviolet surges as well. But John knew, unlike Starlight's assumption, that his ring was hampered but not powerless.

* * *

Oro also stored solar energy. But other than using it to fire energy blasts and superheat the air beneath him to fly, Oro had no physical capability threatening Power Ring. But Jessica Cruz used her Ring of Volthoom to probe Oro's emotional psyche and found him immune to the ring's power…and hungers. So Oro could deplete its power without being able to recharge it in return. Which meant Jessica had to end this fight before it even began.

* * *

Donner was unarmed but Wonder Woman considered that a free shot with her bow. So she aimed at a leg and released an arrow. The broad head bent rather than penetrated. Artemis sat her bow and quiver down and unstrapped her shield and unsheathed her sword, "Now it'll be fair."

"Hardly," Donner's thick German accent still easily conveyed her amusement.

Donner's speed surprised Artemis and her opening punch sent the Amazon reeling. Wonder Woman rethought her strategy as she unbuckled her sheath and slipped her sword back into it and then conceded the point and laid her shield down as well. Then she confronted Donner once more.

The two women feinted and missed thrown punches for a time and then Artemis connected with her right hand. The one wearing the Gauntlet of Hercules. Now Donner was surprised by the strength of the blow and despite nigh invulnerability, she almost lost a few teeth.

"Now it is fair, _fraulein_ ," Donner allowed.

* * *

Blitzen attacked Supergirl from fifteen direction in less than forty-five seconds. Supergirl attempted to clothesline her but Blitzen was already backpedaling. Blitzen chuckled.

"So you're not completely slowed down, _liebchen_ ," Blitzen decided.

"And you're a Nazi," Supergirl told her.

"How?" Blitzen was horrified.

"I've seen you move before back at the Hall of Justice," Supergirl told her.

"You'll either keep my secret or die," Blitzen warned, "Or maybe both."

Supergirl sighed.

* * *

"Nice shield," General Glory remarked to Dusk.

"If you tell me I need one just because I'm a woman, I'll brain you on general principle," Dusk warned him.

"I really don't want to fight you," General Glory admitted, "Not because you're a woman but I don't think there's anything to fight over."

"You're a strange fugitive," Dusk decided.

"If I felt I needed to answer to false charges I would," General Glory promised her, "But I wasn't even on Corto Maltese the day the tragedy occurred."

"You certainly seem to believe it," Dusk allowed.

"I have witnesses. I was working in Grant's Gym in Gotham City with underprivelaged kids and former gangbangers teaching them to box among other things," General Glory told her, "I assume you have a phone."

"Of course," Dusk warmed to the idea.

"I'll give you a number and you can talk to as many kids as you like," General Glory offered.

"Okay, I'll do it. But if I'm not convinced afterwards, you'll surrender into my custody," Dusk determined.

"Sounds fair," Genera Glory agreed.

Dusk sincerely hoped she would be swayed.

* * *

"How can you fly in that gear?" Owlwoman asked Iron Butterfly.

"I don't know, how can I do this?" Iron Butterfly took hold of a flagpole and it transformed into an animal control loop snare. Owlwoman was insulted by the implication.

Owlwoman tried to be reasonable, "Why are we even opposed to one another?"

"You're bad and I'm good," Iron Butterfly argued.

Owlwoman realized reasonable wasn't an option.

* * *

As the explosions and gunpowder smoke dissipated, Jack O'Lantern studied Hardware from inside his protective flaming field as projected by his mystic lantern, "Jay-zus! D'you think ya coulda shot off enough rounds ta obliterate Beirut?"

"Obviously not enough," Hardware frowned, "At least not yet."

"Look, ya yobbo. I could fry yer eyeballs out anytime I want but I'm tryin' ta be reasonable. I ain't here ta fight," Jack explained, "I'm just here ta rescue a comrade from the Legion of Doom."

"Luthor said you'd call them that," Hardware laughed.

"An' what do ya call them instead?" Jack asked.

"The Legion of Good," Hardware proudly told him.

Jack laughed until he cried. Hardware was insulted, "You're mocking me."

"The Legion is doin' that, bucko. I don't need ta," Jack promised.

"I'm still coming through that field and then I'll carve your liver out and serve it up with onions for lunch," Hardware vowed.

"Christ, a true believer," Jack muttered as the barrage resumed.

* * *

Bad Betty expended an equal amount of ordnance at Killer Frost's ice barriers.

"Dammit! Stop making those!" Bad Betty whined.

"So you can shoot me? That's not going to happen," Killer Frost promised.

"I won't shoot you," Bad Betty toyed with the bandolier of grenades across her chest.

"So much better," Killer Frost rolled her eyes.

"Come on, just one grenade?" Bad Betty cajoled her.

"Go to hell," Killer Frost retorted.

"You first, Bitchy the Frosted Snowwoman," Bad Betty returned to all guns blazing.

* * *

Windshear's gift was the ability to create and direct micro-tornadoes. Tornadoes she used to create obstacles in Lady Flash's path. Lady Flash recalled something Wally West had taught her and she began running counter the tornadoes. Windshear was incensed.

* * *

Narnie was the kinetic energy manifestation of Plus' sister. She took on human expression by merging inside of Plus. There she could communicate with Plus while transferring a series of super powers to her sister. And these self same powers threatened the recently dubbed Firestorm.

But as Plus shattered every barrier, trap, and snare, Firestorm took flight. Then she converted all of the available air around Plus into helium. After almost passing out and emitting a long lasting session of squeaky coughs, Narnie began suggesting action plans to Plus. And Plus began liking them.

* * *

Iota's armored suit gave her the same size control ability as the Atom, Atomica, and Sting (the bug man version). So when Iota shrunk, Insect Queen took flight. And then unleashed several hives of ants. Insect Queen didn't want Iota harmed but she did need her restrained.

* * *

Ramjet's control over gale force winds threatened both Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay. Silver Sorceress erected a mystical barrier to shelter behind and Blue Jay joined her. Meanwhile Ramjet increased his effort to shatter the barrier and buffet the Champions of Angor into unconsciousness.

"Jay, go the long way around and come up behind him. I'll protect you as best I can," Silver Sorceress pledged.

Blue Jay shrank to bird size, "I'll come back."

"I know you will," Silver Sorceress confessed.

As he flew off, she wondered if she would see him again. It was a long flight and her barrier was shearing away. Just as those winds would strip to flesh off of her bones.


	18. Chapter 18

14

Wizard's illusion faded just as Jean Loring had decided to hear Nevada Jones' details on a proposed legal action. Nevada Jones' business attire suddenly transformed into khaki pants, rugged boots, a gray henley, leather bomber jacket and an Australian fedora.

Seeing Jean gaping at him, he bolted out of his chair, "Seems we won't be working together, Counselor."

Jean began yelling at him to stop as he fled out her door. Out in the hall, Isherwood yelled for security. Jean was much more practical and called Security directly.

* * *

Bob Phantom's keyword name to keep Snookums running rampant was to call him Fifi. As long as he used that name, the dog ran amuck through the junior partners' offices. Then someone pointed him and screamed. Bob Phantom looked down as she survivalist store gear and cape.

"Snookums, come!" Bob Phantom called.

The poodle obediently raced after him as he went to the stairwell. Seeing Nevada Jones already at the next landing, Bob Phantom attached a grapple line to the railing before cradling Snookums and vaulting over to rappel to the ground floor.

* * *

Falcon heard hushed gasps and bolted upright. His costume was in plain view and he knew his time to withdraw had come. Hopefully Wizard's group was ready. So he raced out of the associates' offices and hit the stairwell. Bob Phantom rappelled down past him. Nevada Jones was above him. And hopefully beyond hope, Press Guardian had dealt with security.

* * *

"I found those bad boys!" Web exulted.

"The illusion is gone," Wizard's stopwatch was chirping.

"But what about…?" Web heard the crack of knuckles on flesh. When she and Wizard came around the corner fo the archive, Scarlet Avenger had dealt a knockout blow to the archivist.

"They call that overkill," Web said as if to a dullard, "Gimme that."

Scarlet Avenger had carried a messenger bag given to him by the Hangman. Web slung it over her body and put the files into it, "No time to make copies now."

"This way no one will see it," Wizard cast a spell over the entire building and no one could see the bag afterwards.

"This mass hypnotism stuff can be cool," Web decided.

* * *

They joined the parade headed for the ground floor. Bob Phantom was already scouting head when the others boldly strode towards the exit.

"Now is when we learn if Press Guardian has been successful," Scarlet Avenger opined.

Which no one intervened in their departure and Press Guardian came out of hiding to join them. But the sound of a door falling off of its hinges alerted them to trouble. Press Guardian was pensive.

"It seems they're better motivated than your average rent a cops," he mused.

* * *

"Our friends are in difficulty," Hangman's crow observed.

"I can fly," Mr. Midnight replied, "How will you reach them?"

Hangman reached into his medicine bag and sprinkled the air with powder. A cloud formed and Hangman stepped onto it, "Like so."

Mr. Midnight realized the crow was circling overhead now and it followed Hangman to the ground where it perched on a bench. Mr. Midnight interposed himself between the Shadow Crusaders and the seeming trigger happy security guards. He atomized their bullets and backed away as his teammates made it out into the plaza beyond.

Hangman threw leaves at pockets of shadows and they reached out to snare the guards and threatened to choke them. But the police had been called and since the Shadow Crusaders had been caught in an act of larceny, they couldn't surrender.

The police threatened to employ lethal force when they just froze. The Crimson Avenger made his appearance and greet the Scarlet Avenger, "I'm glad I could assist before things got messy."

"Where's your protégé?" Scarlet Avenger asked.

"Taking out a nest of drug dealers. She's better at that sort thing these day," the elderly Crimson Avenger admitted.

"We'll be out of everyone's way in a minute," Press Guardian promised.

Web called in for a teleport and they vanished in a red flash.

I remember that," Crimson Avenger recalled his own days in the JLU Reserve. After he got out of sight, he released his power to control blood and enabled the police to move once again. Hangman's shadows lingered longer but evaporated as the noon sun bore down on them. From his place of concealment he could hear the patrol sergeant calling for detectives to arrive on the scene and a eight block perimeter to be established to capture the fleeing "outlaw vigilante" known only as the Crimson Avenger.

And then all cars were summoned to the warehouse district where the younger Crimson Avenger had been successful in her raid on drug dealers. From preliminary reports she'd smashed a meth lab as well as a distribution hub. Crimson Avenger couldn't have been prouder. And the veteran police officers and newer patrolmen and women also quietly cheered her on. But the District Attorney had been elected on a platform to curtail vigilante justice. A campaign many suspected had been funded by the criminals the Crimson Avengers pursued.

As Crimson Avenger stowed his mask, hat, and cape, in a briefcase he wandered out of the stripped down perimeter and idly wondered how Scarlet Avenger's newfound partners were.

* * *

"I thought you were a friend, Rhosyn," Mia Deardon grumbled from inside the Birds of Prey's only detention cell.

"And I thought you were sane," Rhosyn Forrest replied, "I guess we were both wrong."

"I'm getting out of this cell and I'll walk away clean. But if you and yours ever threaten us again, I will tell Intergang and the Syndicate Underground where your little clubhouse is," Mia promised, "And I will drag you into court and remove every aspect of your livelihood from you."

"I'd like to see you try," Rhosyn was visibly shaken.

"I have legal means at my disposal to keep in court until you bankrupt yourself," Mia explained, "It's just plain economic guerilla warfare."

Rhosyn was visibly hurt, "What happened to you?"

Mia swung the cell door open, "I could ask the same. And FYI, never lock me in a cell Ollie built."

"You know I have to stop you," Rhosyn picked up two strategically located staves.

"And you know I can't let you," Mia opened a hidden locker and withdrew one of her spare bows and quiver.

Rhosyn tried not to look intimidated and wondered why she'd given Mia time to gear up as Speedy. Speedy gave Rhosyn a pitying look, "You know my training. I will use your knee against you."

"If I back down, I can't protect your and Conner's identities from the police any longer," Rhosyn warned.

"And Dinah will give me the names of every Bird of Prey. And those she leaves out, Nyssa will give me," Speedy promised.

Rhosyn had loyalty as a currency with Dinah Lance but not her wife, Nyssa Raatko. Speedy drew and fired arrows almost faster than Rhosyn could see. Her targets were the staves Rhosyn held. Then Speedy charged forward and kicked Rhosyn's leg out with a knee strike. Grabbing her helmet as she vaulted the stairs two at a time, Speedy broke through Sherwood Florist out onto the street and hopped onto her motorcycle.

By the time Rhosyn painfully managed to get street level, Speedy was long gone. She prepared to make the call that would start the shit storm. Maybe Dinah could be persuaded to preserve Sherwood Florist's legacy. But since her marriage to Nyssa, Rhosyn knew she no longer really understood who and what Dinah had become when she became the Demon's Head of the Leagues of Shadow and Assassins.

* * *

Beryl Hutchinson and Rose Wilson-Worth were just two women in love at Pike's Street Market when Batwoman dropped in behind Beryl wielding two truncheons. Beryl managed to disarm one of Batwoman's hands and scooped the weapon as she rolled by her. Using a series of feints, strikes, and blocks, Beryl and Batwoman tested one another. What Beryl learned was Katrina Moldoff was an excellent fighter.

Yet Batwoman also seemed slightly inexperienced for this work. She never anticipated Beryl throwing her own truncheon at Batwoman's head. She ducked and Beryl's knee strike connected with Batwoman's face. Beryl got behind Batwoman and slapped a chokehold on her opponent. But she fell short of knocking Batwoman out.

Rose simply dodged every attack Hawkfire made. And she systematically disarmed Bette Kane. Getting bored, Rose knocked Hawkfire off of her feet with a single punch.

"Care to go best two out of three falls?" Rose smirked at Hawkfire.

That lit a fire in Hawkfire.

Beryl switched off of from Batwoman to cold cock Hawkfire. Rose's backspin kick dazed Batwoman. Beryl pulled Rose back to her motorcycle.

"They know who we are. We need to regroup and leave town," Beryl was being Red Robin of the Teen Titans again.

Rose found it adorable, "Cool. Road trip. And by the way, I wouldn't ride bitch for anyone else."

"You say the prettiest things," Beryl rolled her eyes as she slipped her helmet on.

"I know," Rose had hers on already and she slipped her arms around Beryl's waist. And they headed for the Queen Estate.

Batwoman and Hawkfire were left to explain their presence to Seattle's Finest.

* * *

Jason Todd had just a sumptuous meal at Pier 23, "You can come out now."

Huntress dropped off the roof, "And here I thought I was being pretty damn sneaky."

"I heard you on the roof earlier but didn't want to interrupt my meal," Jason explained, "You're better than average but you could use some professional training. I take it you're here to arrest me or something."

"Or something," Huntress conceded.

"You should have brought the Question. He'd stand a better chance," Huntress knew Jason was referring to her husband's training by Richard Dragon.

Huntress snap drew and fired her crossbow. Jason plucked the bolt out of the air. Then she followed up with four throwing knives.

"How's that working for you?" Jason asked after swiping the knives out of the air.

Huntress tried to use her final throwing tool. She unleashed four _shuriken_ but Jason merely plucked them out of the air and threw them back. He looked bored.

"Are we really doing this?" he asked.

"Shut up and fight," Huntress growled at him as she assembled her quarterstaff.

Helena Bertinelli had been taught by the Mafia's finest as we'll as taken pointers from Vic Sage, Richard Dragon, and Ted Grant. But Jason's instructors were a who's who of the League of Assassins including David Cain, Lady Shiva, and Nyssa Raatko herself. Rumor had it he'd even received hands on tutorials from Ra's al Ghul.

When Huntress came to, she was handcuffed to the bumper of an SUV. Which she easily escaped from but was annoyed that Jason had used her own handcuffs. And she wondered why her target left her unharmed when tactical sense stipulated he kill her.

* * *

In Bellingham, Conner Hawke was at a stop sign and then surrounded by Spoiler and Bluebird. He got out to meet and greet, "Costume party or are you looking for a decent clothier?"

"Funny guy," Bluebird remarked, "You seem to be missing your little bow and arrow set."

"And you seem well informed," Conner told her.

"Maybe you won't joke when you learn about the Arrow's arrest warrants in Los Angeles," Bluebird read off the holographic screen her wrist cuff displayed, "Oh, and look at the charges in Superior City and Gotham."

"Which you're both residents of," Conner edged closer to Spoiler.

"Look pal, I spend every hour of ever day looking to spoil the crimes of retards like you," Stephanie Brown advised him.

"And your excuse?" Conner asked Bluebird.

"Pretty much reads like hers," Harper Row shared.

"Why don't you walk away and we'll call it a draw?" Conner asked.

"Are you scared?" Spoiler asked.

Moments later, Spoiler was out cold and Bluebird was struggling to stay conscious. Conner had Spoiler's staves in hand. Conner pulled them off of the road and drove off to the Queen Estate to find Speedy, Beryl and Rose pulling in. Which left Emiko Queen unaccounted for.

* * *

Emiko had explored Kent because it had a proportionately higher Asian population. Eventually she was directed to a vast Asian Market in Renton. It was her hope to find something decent to eat. There, Emiko spotted her potential antagonists as they searched the aisles for her. Given their attire they were hardly there for the curie powder.

Emiko sat at the small commissary and finished her beef and broccoli rice bowl while Black Cat, Savant, and April Amazing narrowed their choices down to her.

"You're Red Arrow," Savant alone seemed confident of.

"I am," Emiko sat the bowl aside but kept the chopsticks.

"She doesn't look like a killer," Black Cat observed.

"She doesn't have to look the part," April Amazing chided her, "She already played it."

"Do we really want to do this here of all places?" Savant asked.

"Yes," April Amazing grunted as she swung her fifteen pound sledgehammer at Emiko's head. But Brenda Boyle was off balance and trying to hit a moving target. Emiko easily dropped her with two chopsticks impaled in her batting arm. Then she slid the hammer away.

Linda Turner had been a stunt woman before she became a bankable actress and now did both professionally. She'd donned the Black Cat costume because of Los Angeles and Hollywood's rising crime sprees. So Emiko was surprised to learn her foe knew how to fight. Just not as well as Emiko herself.

After Black Cat was rendered semiconscious, Emiko put April Amazing down again.

"I really don't want to fight," Savant confessed.

"That is wise," Emiko applauded her insight. Savant did not appear to be a combatant. More like a professor.

"You don't want to fight me anyway?" Kenesha asked.

"Why would I?" Emiko was confused.

"My mother is the best warrior in several empires," Savant confided, "I'm nothing like her but I do get by. I cheat."

Savant lobbed a silvery ball at Emiko. She caught and vanished in thin air. Savant slid down her goggles to observe the spatial distortion patterns.

"I don't where she ended up but at least it's still on Earth," Savant commented.

"Where the hell did she go?" April Amazing was rising by leaning on the handle of her hammer.

"And what did she hit me with?" Black Cat was beleaguered.

"Her feet and fist mostly," Savant told them, "And she'd she's fifty thousand miles in any direction. She may or may not survive the elements there."

"Why did you do that?" April Amazing was peeved.

"You were losing and we're in a store. Is that really the best place for a fight?" Savant asked.

"Freeze!" police officers announced their arrival.

"Probably not," Black Cat grimaced.

* * *

Talon was startled when Cupid defeated the sneaky means to disable her. Instead, Talon took an arrow to the should. So Talon learned Cupid was good, phenomenally good. But Talon had been trained to be a champion of the immortal Court of Owls. And it appeared Helena Wayne was the last Talon of the Owls but surely other Owls had to have survive the League of Assassins' purge of the ranks.

Talon quickly deduced Carrie Cutter wouldn't be captured alive again. Which suited Talon just fine.

Spy Smasher fought Everyman. And he fought like a man possessed. And Katarina Armstrong quickly deduced he wasn't fighting to disarm her. He was fighting to slaughter her and bathe in her blood. So that changed Spy Smasher's rules of engagement.

Talon joined Spy Smasher all beaten and bloody, "He's dead?"

"Most people missing half their head would be considered dead. But it's a strange world," Spy Smasher quipped, "Where's Cupid?"

"She had a knife and I didn't spot it and she got a severe shot in. Now I can't track her," Talon admitted.

"That's saying something," Spy Smasher realized, "This can't be who it looks like."

"There are forces on this planet that specialize in resurrections," Talon advised her, "So it could be."

"If this really was some form of Green Arrow then Cupid will find us," Spy Smasher predicted.

Talon realized she wasn't looking forward to the rematch.

* * *

"We need to get going," Rose impatiently demanded after they'd loaded the RV, trailers, and motorcycles in the backs of the three pickups.

"It seems obvious Emiko won't be joining us and Rhosyn has undoubtedly alerted the police," Beryl put it to Conner rather bluntly, "Wherever she is or who has her, we can get her back after we establish a new base of operations."

"I've arranged for one," Jason announced.

"How?" Mia asked.

"I contacted Nyssa and she's giving us a League of Assassins safe house to use," Jason told them.

"And the price?" Conner knew Nyssa never gave anything away.

"A yet to be determined favor," Jason told the group, "We don't have anywhere else to go."

There was grudging acceptance over that. Jason smiled, "Get ready for a drive."

* * *

"Just surrender and I won't hurt you," Icon's resonant bass proclaimed between titanic blows.

So far Superman had realized that Icon was nearly his match in every conceivable way. Including the gift of accelerated healing. Now they were locked in a grappling match that would have torn down buildings or moved continents.

"Would you surrender?" Superman asked between gritted teeth.

"If I were innocent I would," Icon strained to promise.

"Let's find out," Superman broke free and began delivered left-right combos the way Barda had taught him. He delivered body shots and facial blows faster than Icon could recuperate from them. When the hero fell, Superman felt lousy about it.

He could tell Icon was doing what he thought was right. Yet the lies had skewed his perspective. And the mere fact Lex Luthor could so easily dupe Icon and his comrades lent the air of credibility to Supergirl's insistence that Dakota City heralded from another universe. Hopefully when Icon awoke, he'd be more open to the actual truth.

* * *

"Look kid, I don't want to hurt a young mother," Barda wiped the blood from her split lip.

"Seems I'm the only one doing any hurting here," Rocket boasted.

"You said it," Barda's right cross nearly tore Rocket's head off. As it was, she'd be nursing a case of whiplash for weeks.

* * *

John Stewart took pains to dodge Starlight's yellow light blasts. She'd narrowed her choices down to tight wavelength yellow photon discharges. And they hit like a mule kick.

Green Lantern's power ring was still hampered by the general yellow light emissions Starlight gave off in addition to her photon bursts. So creating and maintaining any constructs took an expression of John's willpower that would typically reserved for shielding from a city-wide barrage.

But John had an idea. He focused all of his ring's power into a single concussive beam. And he knocked Starlight in the head with it. Then he caught her plummeting body with a construct cushion and gently laid her to the ground.

"Sorry about the hit," John apologized as he began to stand vigil over her.

* * *

Jessica Cruz let the Ring of Volthoom generate the most horrific constructs it could despite its inability to tailor them to the target. Power Ring watched as the ring guessed correctly and Oro began to panic. And the Ring of Volthoom derived energy from the man's emotional terrors even if it couldn't access his psychic horror. So with Oro distracted, Power Ring used a piston pulse to bash him in the face. Jessica cushioned his fall.

And then the Ring of Volthoom sensed fully accessible fear nearby. And it wanted to feed.

* * *

Wonder Woman and Donner were at a standstill until Artemis began employing fighting techniques from dozens of cultures and thousands of years. Donner relied solely on brute strength and her near invulnerability. Artemis used Donner's strength against her.

Diana was Artemis' sole rival amongst the Amazons and since the overrated princess stepped down from her mantle, Artemis had won the following contests of champions to win the right to be called Wonder Woman. A role forged by Queen Hippolyta in World War II and carried on by Diana in the modern world.

Artemis had chosen to forgo following in her predecessor's footsteps and to forge her own identity and legacy. And coming to Man's World had been instructive. Superman fought like Donner. All strength and little finesse. Which begged the question how had Diana ever found him worthy? At least the princess had removed their daughter, Alexandra, from his presence.

Alexandra promised to be the most powerful being on the planet just as Kalea-El was more powerful than her mother, Maxima. But while Diana was owed allegiance, she wasn't graced with automatic respect. And Diana was mortal now and would die sooner than later.

Slipping behind Donner, Artemis blocked Donner's airways and she rode out all the struggles until the German passed out. Artemis rearmed herself and quietly saluted Donner. She'd been a worthy opponent.

* * *

Blitzen raced behind Supergirl and vibrated a hand through Matrix's chest, " _Vas_? You have no heart!"

"Neither do you, it seems," Supergirl's telekinetic eye beams knocked Blitzen out.

"Now what to do with you?" Supergirl mused.

* * *

Grant's Gym membership rallied to defend General Glory. They even forwarded the call to different men and women who frequented the gym as well. And unless he'd coached the entire city, General Glory had been at the gym on the day in question.

"Okay, it's unanimous. You're a saint. And you weren't at Corto Maltese the day of the attacks. Which is slightly off considering I saw footage of you gutting women and children during that attack," Dusk frowned.

"Anyone can wear a costume," General Glory, "Despite what we might wish otherwise."

"It still doesn't mean your team wasn't there without you and with an imposter," Dusk ventured.

"Which stretches plausibility," General Glory warned her, "So why is my code-name on the charge sheet?"

"Grr," Dusk growled, "That's a helluva question and one needing further examination."

"So will you let me pass while you investigate further?" General Glory wondered.

"What? No!" Dusk blurted and then she realized he'd already slipped passed her, "Aw crap."

* * *

Owlwoman's talons shredded Iron Butterfly's nets and snares. But she retracted them to land several punched into Iron Butterfly's face. She landed on the pavement below with a loud _clang_! Owlwoman floated nearby.

"Can I get down to business now?" she tersely inquired.

* * *

"Had enough?" Hardware bellowed. Even he was having trouble hearing after all the explosive ordnance had detonated. The smoke cleared and Jack O'Lantern's fiery field held and Jack stood amidst it.

"Now yer just pissin' me off," Jack warned him.

"Tough shi…!" Hardware was interrupted by two flaming bursts from the lantern's eyes that knocked him out.

"Took you long enough," Owlwoman chided him.

"I was keepin' tabs on ya. Yer progress ain't much better," Jack retorted.

"So, you keep tabs on me," Wenonah Littlebird smiled, "Care to call it even and get back to work?"

"Yer on," Jack wondered why Owlwoman was suddenly playful. Had she finally accepted his being Jack O'Lantern after Daniel Cormac's death? On the same day Daniel had proposed. Jack figured he couldn't get that lucky.

* * *

While Bad Betty reloaded, Killer Frost created ice knives that plummeted down on Bad Betty. And thereby revealing cybernetic limbs whose existence delighted Killer Frost.

"Now that I can work with," she declared as she froze Bad Betty's bionics.

Bad Betty collapsed and desperately tried to stay warm. Killer Frost plunged the temperatures of Bad Betty's arsenal until the steel and ceramic cracked, "Stick around, _chica_. It only gets more interesting from here on in."

And Killer Frost moved past the skirmish line.

* * *

Firestorm packed Plus, and thereby Narnie, in an impact absorbing gel she'd developed from the Russian space program. Plus was infuriated as the gel just rippled when she moved. And she couldn't move through it to attack the polymer encasement holding it together. Firestorm flew away as Plus volleyed curses in _Hindi_ at her.

Valentina Vostok just smiled.

* * *

Iota was pinned by hornets until she grew back to a human stature. Then Insect Queen used her "stinger" blast to render Iota unconscious. Then Lana Lang sought out Superman. There was too much at stake to leave him untended for long. Especially with his romancing Barda.

* * *

Silver Sorceress was on one knee behind her buckling shield. Her hat and cape and been torn away and several sleeves and pant legs and been torn and her flesh bled. But Blue Jay arrived and tackled Ramjet. He pummeled the man unconscious before racing to her side.

"Laura! Are you all right?" he desperately asked.

"I'm fine. Or at least most of me is," Silver Sorceress chuckled, "I haven't been pinned down like that since the Extremists took Angor hostage."

"We should leave," Blue Jay insisted.

"No, I'm sick of running. Even if we were to die here today at least we'll have taken a stand. Like we did back home,:" Silver Sorceress decided.

"Then I stand with you," Blue Jay assured her.

"I know, Jay. You have since we three came to this universe," Silver Sorceress told him.

* * *

Lady Flash unraveled Windshear's tornadoes. And she used a hypervelocity right cross to put Windshear down. She was bloodied but she'd recover. So Lady Flash left her there and went looking for adventure.

* * *

Superman had Steve Trevor reassemble the Justice League. The Legion of Doom moved en masse to confront them. Luthor couldn't help but gloat.

"It seems your victory is pyretic at best and foolish at worst," Luthor sneered.

"We'd stand against you in this or any other remaining universe," Superman declared.

"It's funny you should phrase it quite so," Luthor was amused, "Now, destroy them as painfully as possible."

And the Legion swung into motion.


	19. Chapter 19

19

The Justice League was spread across the Heroes' skirmish line yet spaced close enough to communicate between members. They collectively realized the Legion of Doom had many new members. And that didn't include those dispatched with Giganta on a separate mission. One largely intended to keep her from liberating Atom Smasher. But new, or modified, membership notwithstanding, no force on Earth would keep the JLU from rescuing one of their own.

Bizarro's attack was swift and furious. He threw haymaker after haymaker and some even connected. Superman wondered if this was how the others view his fighting style. Powerful but largely ineffective.

Superman tried applying the judo Barda knew but it was too passive to subdue the infuriated Bizarro. So Superman fell back on the other technique he'd studying with Wildcat. No one could instruct in boxing techniques quite like an undefeated heavyweight champion. And an undefeated Meta-Human Brawl champ. Although Superman pretended not to know that last bit.

So he went to work on Bizarro systematically and rather scientifically. Bizarro was used to inflicting pain and not feeling it. He began to retreat when he saw an event that broke his crumbling heart. He unleashed his heat vision to cut through water and gas mains thereby distracting Superman as he fled Dakota City alone, as he'd always been.

* * *

Barda blasted away at Bizarro Lois. The first few mega wand strikes showed Bizarro Lois was half the "super" that Bizarro was. But it still took enough energy out of Barda to require her to rest and recoup when Bizarro Lois collapsed under her own weight. Barda checked on her and found Bizarro Lois was wounded beyond recovery.

Barda stood vigil as Superman completed his makeshift caps of the water and gas lines. He joined her and knelt beside Bizarro Lois. Barda had to wonder who would respond, Superman, Clark Kent, or Kal-El. She was grateful to find it was blend of all three facets of Superman.

Bizarro Lois stared at Superman and seemed to recognize him at long last as the light died in her eyes for the second time. Barda spoke at last, "It was necessary."

"I know," Superman acknowledged that truth, "She wasn't even alive in the conventional sense. This corruption shouldn't have ever happened. Sam Lane has a lot to answer for."

"And we'll exact that price," Barda pledged.

"To begin to we need to find Lucy Lane. Her access to her father as Superwoman can get us close. And Lucy is as disgusted with her father as we are," Superman shared.

"She has little cause to embrace her father after his many betrayals. I doubt they ended with Baker Island," Barda stated.

"Not every relationship is a conflict," Superman protested.

"But most things in life are conflicts whether we acknowledge them to be or not," Barda countered.

"Maybe you're right," Superman allowed, :"Batman certainly thought so."

"And not everyone conflicted is an isolationist," Barda shared.

"I can't afford to be one," Superman admitted, "Otherwise I'd just become another Darkseid."

"Source forbid," Barda shuddered.

* * *

Green Lantern's will directed his power ring and he was able to resist Lady Lunar's power. She'd lower gravity on one body part to raise it on another. She rippled gravity across John Stewart's chest. And John steeled himself for a drawn out campaign.

But Lady Lunar's strength quickly waned. John wondered what was sapping her strength but he preferred exploiting the fact. So he smashed her into a building, cracking its glass. Then he floated her unconscious from there to the street below.

* * *

Only Power Ring's indomitable will overcame Fright's fear toxins. And then Jessica Cruz enabled the Ring of Volthoom to torment Fright and feed off of her multitude of fears. Jessica wanted to dump Fright's body in the river after she fainted dead away but she restrained herself.

* * *

Wonder Woman found Bizarro Girl to be just her kind of challenge after facing Donner. Bizarro Girl was more intelligent than any other pure Bizarro. But she was the precursor of Bizarro Lois. Her body had been brain dead rather than completely expired. So the Bizarro infusion process brought her mind back. But she was prone to lapses in concentration and slipping into confused states.

Artemis appreciated a foe she could unload upon. So Bizarro Girl found her skill set inadequate to repel Wonder Woman. But her heart soared when she saw Bizarro Lois die. And Bizarro's countenance fell as he recognized that fact. Bizarro Girl followed Bizarro's example and left Dakota City. But she headed west to National City where she'd lived before her "death" and resurrection.

Wonder Woman saw the Legion's lines had opened up. So she went hunting.

* * *

Shyla Kor-Onn was a full blooded Kryptonian liberated by accident from the Phantom Zone. But she'd only been free for a matter of weeks. So encountering a foe like Supergirl continually surprised her.

Supergirl used her telekinetic push-shove to amplify her punch and Shyla's nose bled as a result. Supergirl made an observation, "You're new to Earth."

"How can you tell?" Shyla asked.

"Because you aren't any good with your physical powers," Supergirl spun to deliver an aerial backspin kick.

Shyla was startled. Luthor had promised her immunity from pain on this backwater world. She wondered what else had he lied about. So she decided ot go exploring and find out.

* * *

Signalman knew he wasn't a match for General Glory's enhanced physicality. So he relied on his audio and visual disrupting flares and sirens. A series of strobing lights with a shrieking sirens and booms opened General Glory up to Signalman's use of flash bang grenades. Temporarily disabled, General Glory heard the whisper of the Spirit of Lady Liberty assure him the matter was settled.

He heard a metallic _wang_ and the thud of a dropping body.

Then a very amused feminine voice asked him, "What would you do without me?"

"Dusk!" General Glory broke into a grin. Her shield had provided the metallic sound as it smashed into Signalman's face.

"I did just a tiny bit of research into the Legion of 'Good" and found out who they really are," Dusk said sourly, "UN credentials be damned. These guys are the real deal in evil. And we fell for their lies."

"Usually when you find yourself living in an alternate universe you need to check out the history of that world," General Glory told her, "Just saying."

"I'm still carrying a shield, buster," Dusk warned him.

* * *

Owlwoman found Hummingbird to be an adequate challenge. Sparrow Hawk had obviously been training her. But the French Canadian preferred ballistic weapons to edged ones. A profound distinction between student and teacher. But when Owlwoman's talons cut through the machine pistol Hummingbird used, Hummingbird attempted to fly away. But Owlwoman smashed her into a nearby roof and scraped her along it.

Hummingbird was pacified after Owlwoman bounced her head off of the surface of the roof a few times. Owlwoman used the rope she had coiled around her waist to tie a constrictor knot around Hummingbird's hands, feet, and throat. If Hummingbird remained relaxed, she'd be fine. But if she struggled, she could literally choke herself out. The choice was plainly hers, Owlwoman reasoned as she sought to rejoin the Justice League.

* * *

Jack O'Lantern liquefied every metal object magnetically hurled at him by Dr. Polaris. Then Jack evaporated Dr. Polaris' metallic outfit before blasting him into very naked unconsciousness. Owlwoman alighted next to him.

"That was cruel, Liam," Owlwoman chuckled.

""I doubt he has any modesty anyway," Jack snorted, "Where's yer winged playmate."

"Sleeping it off," Owlwoman shared.

"I wish I was," Jack confided.

"Let's go for a drink after this is done," Owlwoman offered.

"Are ya askin' me ta the pub, Wenonah Littlebird?" Jack was astonished.

"This is me asking you to the pub," Owlwoman adopted a confused mein, "Or is it?"

"Look, I'm willin'," Jack blurted.

"Daniel warned me about all your Real IRA bravura when you drink too much," Owlwoman told him, "Let's skip all that."

"I'm a changed man in different circumstances and company," Jack promised.

"We'll see after a few rounds," Owlwoman winked.

* * *

Insect Queen felt the stir of warmed air before it ignited. So she was able to continually dodge Volcana's attempts to incinerate her. Back home, on Earth-2, Insect Queen had frequently worked beside Volcana in the resistance against the Justice Lords. After the Lords had regained the powers after meeting the Justice League and Lex Luthor, Lord Superman had executed Volcana. She'd died taking Insect Queen's secret identity to the grave.

Insect Queen flew an evasive course and closed the gap between herself and Volcana to apply her "stinger" power and knock the pyrokinetic out. Lana Lang was relieved her Volcana had never survived to reach Earth Prime. She didn't realize the paradox principle would have prevented identical versions of the same woman on one world.

There could only be one Static but there could be a Superman, Ultraman, and Overman occupying the same world. Just as Princess Diana had been Wonder Woman and her Greek Namesake doppelganger, Superwoman, could also occupy Earth Prime. That principle hadn't applied to the other Crime Syndicate members or New Reichsmen. Each of them had been different individual cast in similar roles as the originals native to the Prime Universe were. And so that cosmological rule applied without anyone ever realizing it.

The Justice Lords had travelled to Earth Prime based upon the differences between the Lords and the Justice League. And Insect Queen could inhabit Earth Prime alongside its Lana Lang. But it didn't explain Sparrow Hawk to Insect Queen. She was unaware that Danya Helstrom wasn't a doppelganger for Shayera Hol. Nor had anyone, Legionnaires included, realized yet that Sparrow Hawk had adopted a human guise as Kendra Saunders.

* * *

"So Frosty, yer still up ta tricks, I see," Atomic Skull observed.

"Walk or I won't be responsible for what happens," Killer Frost warned him.

"Is that honest ta God concern in yer voice?" Atomic Skull chuckled, "What have they done ta ya? Didn't ya have ta sign a 'Thou shalt not kill' pledge or somethin'?"

"Or something," Killer Frost shared.

"Well, I got an offer fer ya as well," Atomic Skull told her, "Luthor will take ya back inta the fold if ya work fer us inside the Justice League."

"And when I refuse?" Killer Frost asked.

"Ya always gotta be stubborn," Atomic Skull sighed, "What happens then is I kill ya."

"Or not," Killer Frost smirked as the flames around Atomic Skull's skull winked out.

"What the…?" Atomic Skull passed out as Killer Frost absorbed the heat from his radioactive body. Louise Lincoln was a rosy shade of pink again.

"Ugh. I hate this look," Killer Frost complained because the condition meant she was powerless.

* * *

Casey Krinsky snuck up on Valentine Vostok and grabbed her arm. Val transformed into the Russian Firestorm while Casey became a Firehawk. Firestorm wore a wicked grin.

"Let's see how much energy you can truly absorb," she said as she began to pour her power into Casey.

Casey tried to flee but Firestorm relentlessly pursued and kept up the barrage. Casey finally screamed and released everything she'd absorb from Firestorm so Val collected it and metabolized it once again. She created a cushion for Casey to fall into.

"It seems you can't be pushed very far at all," Firestorm clucked.

* * *

"You are too slow in a digital world," Byte laughed as she vanished again as Lady Flash tried to grab her. Dakota City's business district was like most in modern America, filled with active routers and servers that Byte could travel through. Lady Vic was a traditionalist and was attempting to shoot Lady Flash. But Ivanka Christine Borodin Molotova was a hard target to hit. Especially after Lady Flash rushed Lady Vic and dismantled her gun before darting off before the Brit could respond to the Russian.

"Bloody well get back here!" Lady Vic yelled in an impotent rage.

Lady Flash delivered a hyperkinetic punch that knocked the mercenary out, "Okay."

Byte punched Lady Flash, "Catch me if you can!"

Byte made several transmission relays before coming to a halt, "Waay too slow!"

Her laughter ended when Lady Flash caught up with her, "Now who is too slow and predictable?"

Byte tried to transmit herself but there were no active routers in range. Which was weird because she'd ridden them to that location. Then she realized with horror that Lady Flash had disabled every router within range and even those beyond.

"Say goodnight," Lady Flash advised before unloading rapid fire punches to Byte's face. The Legionnaire was knocked out and Lady Flash asked her, "Was it good for you too?"

* * *

"You look tired," Tala observed.

"Your patsies did their work too well," Silver Sorceress admitted.

"That wasn't my call to make but this one is," Tala informed her, "Follow me and I will react harshly."

And she vanished. Silver Sorceress gladly let her go, "Just be gone and be done with it."

* * *

Sparrow Hawk almost beheaded Blue Jay as she dove and swooped overhead.

He flew after her, "Whoa! Hostile much?"

"You don't deserve wings and you're size changing trick is beneath a true combatant," Sparrow Hawk accused

"You know, ever since you arrived in this universe you've been a real bitch," Blue Jay remarked.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sparrow Hawk rotated to try and impale Blue Jay with her sword. And abruptly stopped in midair as though hitting an invisible wall.

She was struggling to overcome the shock while Silver Sorceress caged her, "My Nth metal sword cuts through magic."

"Then it's a good thing that isn't magic," Silver Sorceress proclaimed.

Sparrow Hawk carved through the bonds, "I should have known you were lying. Next time, one on one, Blue Jay. I don't do meneges."

She beat her wings to create lift and finally reached a height where she could soar and seemingly disappeared but Silver Sorceress knew it was a lie.

* * *

Stargirl and STRIPE brought the Justice Society with them as Sentinel's power ring ferried everyone into town. And they brought Hawkman and Anna Fortune. Anna was just grateful to finally know Atom Smasher's location. And she'd conceded to Stargirl and the JSA that Superman had been right all along. Had Anna known Al Rothstein's location earlier she would have charged in by herself.

Sentinel engulfed Black Sivana with the Green Flame. It was probe rather than a weapon. Black Sivana realized that after a few seconds.

"Why, what do you hope to learn? Heh-heh-heh-heh!" he chortled.

"My God! It really is you, Sivana," Sentinel was aghast at the mix of powers that had been blended to transform Dr. Sivana into Black Sivana.

"New and improved. Heh-heh-heh-heh. Too bad there aren't any Marvels left to challenge," Black Sivana lamented.

Which Sentinel knew was a lie. There were four Black Marvels left. But Black Adam and Isis ruled Khandaq and were preoccupied by matters of state. Horus followed his own agenda beside Deathstroke and his Titans. Black Mary was increasingly turbulent as a direct result of her transformation from Mary Marvel to Black Mary.

"So what was that wizard's name?" Sentinel asked.

"Nice try, fool. But I can say Shazam's name all year long and not be affected," Black Sivana laughed.

Sentinel's power ring subtly told him of the influence of a Mother Box in Sivana's transformation. And those energies were warped by strange sciences Sentinel couldn't dare guess at their nature. But he assumed Sivana's transformation was triggered by a word or name judging by the connections he had to his power sources.

"So what do you call yourself these days?" Sentinel asked.

"Black Sivana," he stated. Black lightning enveloped him and transformed him back to his mortal form. Sivana found himself suspended in midair and he was gagged. He fumed at being tricked by the elder Green Lantern.

Judging by the vehemence behind Sivana's words afterwards, Sentinel was glad he couldn't understand Sivana.

* * *

"Why don't they ever send a real Flash to face me?" Reverse Flash complained.

"I'm still the original, whether they be my namesakes or you counterfeits, and experience counts," Flash advised him.

"Counts for what, old man?" Reverse Flash sneered, "I wasn't even going to kill you in my quest to be the only Flash. Age would do that for me and I had to respect the original, as you said. But Rival is a threat. And if he manages to fulfill his goal and kill you, then I have to eliminate him as well."

"I hate to disappoint, but I'm the only Flash you'll face this day or into the near future," Jay Garrick told Eobard Thawne.

"That's right!" Reverse Flash recalled his history, "Wally West is still on Apokolips."

"So we have an understanding," Flash said neutrally.

"Maybe your death will hasten West's return so you can be useful after all," Reverse Flash mused.

"You do realize the Legion of Super Villains erased your future in this present?" Flash asked.

"The future is always changing," Reverse Flash charged in a burst of red static. He plunged a vibrating hand deep into Flash's chest. But he found Flash was already vibrating as well. And the dissonant vibration caused Reverse Flash's static charge to invert and discharge on him.

As Reverse Flash managed to stagger away, Flash erupted into motion. He circled Thawne while throwing high speed punches. Reverse Flash was pummeled into unconsciousness.

Flash came to a halt in front of Reverse Flash, "Son, I was doing the vibration game before Rival ever showed up."

He tipped his saucer hat back, "I suppose Ted would be proud."

* * *

"Yo Uncle Milty, I'll do ya a favor and only beat ya half ta death," Wildcat offered Multiplex.

"Too droll, Wild Fart," Multiplex sneered, "But you're one man and I'm an army."

"Bring it," Wildcat challenged him. He adopted his infamous boxing stance that told so many opponents in the Thirties and Forties they were about to take a beating. But Wildcat was true to his offer and only fought Multiplex's duplicates.

Multiplex incorrectly assumed that he faced a senior citizen version of Wildcat. But he was unaware that the gunshot wound to the chest that Wildcat had "miraculously survived" had in fact killed him. And the Nine Lives' Charm activated for the third time, reducing Wildcat to having six lives in reserve. But he was young man in his prime again. The other two previous applications of the charm insuring he'd be a young man in his prime in the 21st Century as he'd been in 1939 when the charm was applied to him.

So youth coupled with decades of experience combined with a indomitable desire to win, drove Wildcat to push his body to its limits. Multiplex also pushed himself harder than he ever had. Each generation of duplicates became increasingly weaker and less nimble. And Wildcat destroyed them even faster than the set before. Multiplex was infuriated that as his condition deteriorated, Wildcat looked increasingly bored.

Multiplex had gotten some good blows in at the beginning but Wildcat's defenses increased their effectiveness as the dupes slowed down. It took some time before Multiplex realized Wildcat had been pushing towards him in an inexorable destiny. Multiplex cursed his time at Spyral. He'd over extended himself to the point he wasn't fully recovered yet.

And like nuclear fission, his ability to split himself apart resulted in a first wave of highly energized dupes. But his successive generations weakened with each wave. So Multiplex composed a wall of himself and slowly dragged himself away to find some cover. When Wildcat smashed the duplicates into crystallized powder, he was disappointed Multiplex himself had managed to get away. But he was also partially fine with it. He needed a breather anyway.

* * *

Breathtaker sucked the air from underneath Hawkman's wings. But he landed on his feet, "So that's your trick."

"And so many more besides," Breathtaker chuckled.

She was surprised to find Hawkman had thrown his sword at her. What kind of hero type was he anyway? She swatted it aside with a gust of air.

But her eyes barely had time to widen when she realized it had been a distraction. And luckily for her skull, he pulled the blow of his mace against her head. He left her alive with a concussion rather than caving her skill in the way he had to those perps back in New Mexico. ARGUS had intervened rather than let him rot in jail. But the sheriff dubbed him the 'Savage" Hawkman in the press. A label he was still reconciling himself to.

* * *

Mr. Mind controlled his robot through telepathic interfaces, "I call this switching from 'blow' to 'suck'."

And his robot vacuumed Sand's silicate form up. Mr. Mind gloated, "I veritably cleaned up."

The sand begun pouring out of the robot's joints and the drive motors seized up. The sand gathered beneath the paralytic robot and coalesced into Sand, "You were saying, worm?"

"Caterpillar!" Mr. Mind grated, "Why can't you cretins ever get it right?"

"Because beneath it all, you really are a worm," Sand counseled him.

* * *

"Oh look, you brought toys!" Jack Nimbell, the latest Toyman, gleefully told Mr. Terrific.

Biplanes attacked Michael Holt's T-Spheres and remote controlled jeeps and tanks attacked Mr. Terrific himself.

He was alarmed when plans began destroying T-Spheres in _kamikaze_ attacks. If one carrying his bio pattern were destroyed mid-jump, he'd die. But the jeeps and tanks were firing small bullets and explosive shells. So Mr. Terrific employed his mask's T-Sphere interface to change it to overriding the remotes. And then he began wading through them.

"I'm a gamer's gamer but that's cheating," Toyman cried out in frustration.

"Call it 'god mode'," Mr. Terrific advised him. And then he discovered his years of physical training easily overpowered the Toyman, whose hand-eye coordination was developed beyond human norms but his greatest exercise was grabbing a can of Mountain Dew and hefting it to his lips.

After Toyman was subdued, Mr. Terrific's remaining T-Spheres destroyed the remote controlled paraphernalia Toyman had brought to bear.

* * *

Lady Spellbinder created horrific masterpieces of illusion against Dr. Mid-Nite. And he couldn't see any of them. His unique form of blindness allowed him to see in pitch darkness. So the opaque lenses in his mask, or his everyday glasses, enabled him to see in daylight. But illusions such as Lady Spellbinder's didn't register with his vision.

At first Lady Spellbinder thought he just had nerves of steel. But then she recalled that Dr. Midnight had been revealed to be blind after he retired. What she knew about Dr. Mid-Nite was he was Danish and apparently couldn't spell midnight.

Lady Spellbinder turned to withdraw when he threw a blackout bomb and she was swallowed by darkness. And she knew from others' experience, he could see clearly. It took one expert judo chop to her nerve cluster in her neck to put her down. Dr. Mid-Nite pitied her and waited for the blackout effect to fade.

* * *

"Cripes lady! Grab a breath mint already," Stargirl yelled at Superior Girl over her use of her Flame breath.

"You don't like?" Superior Girl asked, "Try my Freeze Vision instead."

But Courtney Whitmore's Cosmic Rod sheltered her. Then she'd already noticed the comparison's between Superior Girl's oddly distorted Kryptonian powers and Kara In-Ze's. So she sucked the solar energy stored in Superior Girl's body. And she suddenly fell out of the sky. Stargirl caught her.

"Gawd! I'll never live this down," Superior Girl lamented.

"Grow a spine already," Stargirl snapped at her. When she sat Superior Girl down, she blasted her with cosmic energies excluding yellow solar rays.

* * *

Enforcer decided she wasn't being paid enough when STRIPE opened up its weapons ports. She quickly decided her armor couldn't withstand that kind of firepower. And word was from Corto Maltese whoever was driving that unit now was a maniac. So Enforcer flew off to the sound of Mike Dugan's mechanized laughter. A fact Enforcer promised herself she'd repay in kind sooner than later.

* * *

"So who are you anyway?" Superboy asked his prospective opponent.

"Magnificus," Sivana told him.

"Magnificus who?" Superboy prompted.

"Magnificus Sivana," black lightning plunged all over the muscle man and rendered him mortal. Before he could rectify his mistake, the concrete snaked up and wrapped around his mouth.

"I already knew who you were. But you proved to be the idiot everyone said you were," then Superboy's right cross knocked him out.

* * *

Georgia Sivana wasn't as easy to fool. And her sole agenda was squishing Wonder Girl like a bug. Cassie Sandsmark and Georgia were evenly matched physically. But Wonder Girl's Lasso of Thunder delivered enough raw voltage to stun Georgia despite her Marvel-like form. Wonder Girl tied Georgia up with the lasso so that its unbreakable bonds held her when she awoke.

* * *

M'gann M'orzz found Thaddeus Sivan Jr.'s thoughts occluded from her. But his intentions were plainly obvious. Miss Martian was quickly grateful White Martians trained even their young in the arts of war. And while Thad shared his father and sister's vast intellects he had no experience applying his intellect to his Marvel-like physicality. So Miss Martian beat Thad using his own strengths against him.

* * *

Skylark and Falseface opted discretionary valor. The three sisters and the disguise artist were masters of stealth. So with everything happening all around, they slipped away. Even with the rest of Young Justice seeking to find and detain any other Legionnaires.

* * *

Anna Fortune located the building holding Atom Smasher now that Tala's obscuring spells were broken. She found the Ultra-Humanite inside, "Don't attempt to stop me."

"I wouldn't dream of it. However I would hope for reciprocation for this consideration," he suggested.

"You surviving the encounter is consideration enough," Anna said coldly.

"You really are a different breed of JLer, aren't you?" Ultra-Humanite sounded amused.

"You'll never remember," Anna applied a memory charm and all Ultra-Humanite remembered was waking up in the Legion's dungeons.

"I knew you'd find me," Atom Smasher was relieved.

"I'm sorry I was delayed," Anna gushed, "But Hawkman and Dr. Fate took me to a conference to describe the impending end of the world."

"So when does the world end anyway?" Atom Smasher was glib.

"Any day now," Anna told him gravely.

"You're not joking," he realized.

"I only wish I could," Anna confessed.

* * *

The Web Agency, Web Hosts and newly assigned agents, saturated Dakota City to take custody of the Legion of Doom. They had very careful briefings with the recuperating Heroes with Dusk supporting their every word.

Luthor rode a competing design to the Hauser Black Razor mechs. Superman held every one back, "I've got this."

He landed atop the rising mech and ripped its hatch off and tore Luthor free of it. Then he pushed off before the anti intrusion self destruct engaged. Landing amidst a sea of Web Agents, Luthor was supremely confident.

"The United Nations will pressure President McKay to release me," Luthor predicted.

"Actually, the Secretary-General disavowed you and remanded you to United States custody when Gen. Latham announced your arrest to the Security Council thirty minutes ago."

"I'll never see trial," Luthor boasted.

"Again you're wrong," Superman enjoyed telling him, "An anti-terror court convened twenty minutes ago and rendered judgment and sentencing in less than five minutes. They'll probably throw the key away to whatever hole they throw you in."

"My sister will never sit by for this," Luthor snarled.

"Lena already issued a press release condemning your actions since leaving LexCorp. She vowed no LuthorCorp executives or employees will render aid to you or seek to secure your release," Superman was thoroughly enjoying himself now, "And LuthorCorp dredged up the evidence you employed to frame us and how the original digital footage clearly depicts the Legion of Doom donning JLer costumes to butcher the bulk of the population on Corto Maltese and the devil's bargains you employed to secure 'eyewitness testimony' against us. The Hague reverted all charges against the Justice League and turned them against the Legion of Doom."

The Web Agents hauled Luthor sputtering and spitting venom away to be delivered to the prison selected to hold him.

* * *

Icon and the Heroes, after their briefings concluded, desired to speak with the Justice League and Justice Society, "We were deceived. We were so insular in our familiar city we neglected to learn about our brave new world. That hubris will not be repeated. And we've discovered there can even be new friends."

"We would all like nothing better than to be considered friends," Sentinel promised him.

"We'll all think about it," Icon promised.

The JLU hoped they would. Now that they'd lost the element of surprise, they'd never be able to defeat the Heroes in a fair fight again.

* * *

Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman met with Superwoman, Fighting American and Guardian. Superwoman met with Shazam at the end of an abandoned subway tunnel. Shazam was irritated to have been summoned by Billy and Freddy.

"What would you have of me, Lucy Lane?" Shazam asked her.

"Empower the Marvel family again," Superwoman insisted.

"They have rejected my gift," Shazam sniffed.

"They rejected the source of the gift, not the gift itself," Superwoman clarified, "Mary Marvel chose not to for reasons of her own."

"What would you have me do instead?" Shazam was surprisingly dumb in Lucy's opinion.

"Army Intelligence lists the Black Marvels, excluding Black Mary, as being empowered directly by the Lords of Chaos. Why can't the Lords of Order reply in kind?"

"The Lords of Chaos have done what?" Shazam roared and his voice echoed down the tunnel.

"That's what I thought," Superwoman shook her head sadly, "Give it some thought, talk to your Lords of Order buddies, and get back to Billy and Freddy."

"Why do you care?" Shazam was suspicious.

"Because Gen. Lane has Mary in his pocket even though she doesn't know it yet. And through her, he'll acquire Black Adam and Isis' services. Horus will be hunted down and destroyed," Superwoman was flippant, "It's plugging pieces into play. Later!"

Shazam fumed that she treated him so casually. But she'd given him much to investigate. And even more to discuss with his fellow Lords of Order.

* * *

"I'm surprised Bruce will still see you Selina. He hardly even sees me anymore," the very pregnant Veronica Vreeland admitted.

"What about Jaina Hudson?" Selina Kyle asked.

"Jaina is still smitten with him, poor girl. Such a dead end road," Veronica remarked.

"Why?" Selina wondered.

"Alfred was basically Bruce's own family. So much more than Dick or Tim or even Barbara. So when Alfred left, Bruce shut down," Veronica shared, "I don't know if he'll ever open up again."

"But he's always been open with you," Selina knew that was a qualified statement.

"We grew up together and attended Gotham Academy at the same level. When he came back from his world tour, the serious, dour, Bruce Wayne had been replaced by a flippant, carefree version that was a total lie. Despite it all, Bruce was even more closed off than ever."

"Even with Andrea Beaumont?" Selina asked.

"Andy vanished and broke Bruce's hear only to return and do it again," Ronnie complained.

Selina knew Andrea had faked her death to become the Phantasm full time. She'd eventually been recruited to Task Force X. And Bruce knew it.

"I think it was too painful. It ranked up there with the loss of his parents and now Alfred. You just don't get over that," Veronica remarked.

"Especially not Bruce," Selina agreed.

"Why all the skullduggery?" Veronica asked.

"Bruce asked me to look into details and my background makes me the perfect one to ask the questions," Selina confided.

"Knowing Bruce it's probably dark and secretive," Veronica decided.

"The understatement of the century," Selina conceded, "Now, give me Jaina's unvarnished back story."

"Well, not to tell tales or anything," Veronica warmed to her topic.

* * *

Anna had moved her belongings into the JSA Brownstone. Roxy had just imprinted Atom Smasher into the security system.

"You could always move in with me," Al offered…again, "I have spare rooms now that Kyle and Kara have gone all cosmic."

"Tut tut, Albert. I come from an age of propriety. Men and women did not cohabitate outside of marriage," Anna chided him.

"But they slept together," Al scolded her.

"A fact which cost a good man, and an indecent one, their lives and ended with me travelling from the era known as the Reconstruction of the South to today," Anna shared, "I shan't repeat that mistake."

"But you'll be alone," Al protested.

"I appreciate my privacy. A fact you might want to consider someday," Anna told him.

"Have you ever thought about marriage?" Al asked.

Anna's laugh was born of sheer delight, "More often than I care to admit. But one does tire of waiting to be asked a specific question."

Al kneeled, "Would you do me the honor of marrying me, Anna Fortune?"

"It...it generally involves a …one of those," Anna beheld the largest diamond ring she'd ever seen before, "How did you…?"

"I have resources. And you never ask that, you just answer the question that was posed," Al insisted.

"Of course I say yes!" Anna practically swooned as she slipped the perfectly sized ring on her finger, "I just thought you'd stall until the end of time."

"I never stalled. I just waited for the perfect moment," Al promised her.

"I even believe you," Anna was lightheaded, "What is your coup-de-grace?"

He revealed theater tickets for the evening to a show Anna had been pining away to see. And confirmation for dinner reservations afterwards.

"I shall never underestimate you again," Anna promised.

"And it's only the beginning," Al "threatened" her. And then he finally kissed her.

* * *

Latham forwarded copies of Jean Loring's files to the Justice League. He hated having to do so but even with the Hague dismissing the case, the JLU deserved to know what Ray Palmer's money had actually produced. Which was a hangman's noose.

* * *

Rosie Raymond finally moved in and Jane Raymond had to ask, "You actually put up with him?"

"For eight days and then he tried to annul the marriage," Rosie shared, "His lawyers were in such a hurry they misfiled everything so we're still married. Which makes me your aunt."

"So he tried to screw that up as well," Jane was impressed, "I've never known such a complete asshole before."

"But we still love him," Rosie remarked.

"The jury is still definitely out," Jane warned.

"Can I ever defend myself?" John Raymond asked.

"No!" Jane and Rosie said together.

* * *

President Medvedev summoned Lady Flash and Firestorm back to Moscow to join the People's Greatest Heroes and defend Russia. Refusal would be treasonous. Killer Frost and Insect Queen mourned their passage. Silver Sorceress and Blue Jay were too self absorbed to note their leaving. Owlwoman, Jack, and General Glory celebrated the call of duty and of answering it.

And despite their misgivings, the JLU leadership summoned Jean for a "consultation."


	20. Chapter 20

8

The Justice League leadership brought Jean Loring down from Hartford for a consultation in person. The Hague hadn't announced its dismissal of the case against the JLU and the indictment of the Legion of Doom on the shame charges. The Atom sat in on the proceeding.

"Ms. Loring you've been brought here to give a precise account of your efforts on our behalf. Concerning, of course, the charges and criminal case brought against those who by definition comprise the Justice League or work for them in a support capacity," Steve Trevor told her.

"You should be a lawyer, Col. Trevor. But why do I feel I'm the one on trial here?" Jean asked. She gave Ray Palmer a sharp glance. Ray looked emotionally shattered by the evidence he'd read. The others were angered and outraged by the same materials.

"What the hell lies have you shown Ray while I was arranging my schedule to teleport here?" Jean was now infuriated.

"Ms. Loring, we have evidence that you never intended to defend us but rather incriminate us while carving out a plea agreement for Ray. In fact, you were double billing. You charged Ray a standard fee and collected three times that much for the same case from an off shore account belonging to Lex Luthor. So tell me, who was really your client all along?" Trevor asked sternly.

"Where did you obtain this so-called 'evidence'?" Jean sneered.

Shayera Hol tossed the compiled case file copied for every member present, "Gen. Latham's people obtained the records from your own offices."

"Those costumed freaks that sent everyone into disarray and cost million in billing hours?" Jean erupted, "I'll sue Latham and his MLJ into insolvency."

"The MLJ agents operated on our behalf because we wanted to see the complete case history and records of motions and petitions, of which there were none," Shayera informed Jean, "But you already know that."

"And we suspected you wouldn't show us the raw files without doctoring them so we sent people to pick up the files and copy them over for our dissection," Hula Hula told her, "And you don't have to worry. Other agents returned the files to the archive in your building."

"So we had to work around your inevitable objection to our seeing the original files," Trevor told her.

"Why do you say 'inevitable objection'?" Jean asked.

"Would you just give us the undoctored files?" Shayera inquired sharply.

"No, I guess not," Jean answered.

"Because you were prejudicing the court in their trumped up case against us," Trevor replied.

"Keep in mind you aren't really a lawyer," Jean said snidely.

"You should probably read this," John Stewart passed Jean a copy of the Hague's rendered dismissal made just seconds before the conference began.

"Sonuvabitch!" Jean snarled.

"Several Legionnaires confessed to the actual charges in exchange for leniency," Superman told her, "And they've indicated your complicity."

"But why would I do any of these things?" Jean asked innocently, "Honestly?"

"Because you were bedding Luthor before this situation developed. And he paid you enough to dent a small county's national debt," Ray Palmer said despondently.

"Ray! I did it for us!" Jean insisted.

"How's that again?" Ray asked.

"The Atom was why I had an affair before we divorced. No more Justice League and there'd be no more Atom," Jean explained feverishly, "It's all so simple."

"No, you screwed a senior partner to get an upper floor office. My being the Atom had nothing to do with it," Ray was truly angry now, "That was your first solution rather than talking to me and my hanging up the costume. And don't think I didn't know he got you pregnant."

Jean's jaw dropped before Ray spoke again, "But I still would have stayed in the marriage but you couldn't cope with the guilt so you launched divorce proceedings."

"But Ray we could still just move on with our lives," Jean pleaded.

"Jean, the Legion is reporting that you were the one to pick Corto Maltese as the target. You dictated that most of the population had to die. You prepped the accusations that launched the Hague's case," Ray was smoldering now, "And you wanted to pretend to defend us when you were actually seeking convictions. And you want to just go back to normal? How do you define that word?"

"But we could have our happily ever after!" Jean enthused.

"Sorry, Jean. I can't condone murder even if you didn't pull any triggers. Hundreds of people died because of you," Ray snapped back at her.

"Don't do this, Ray!" Jean begged, "You can't have a life without me!"

"It seems I can't ever have one with you either," Ray was morose again.

Superman had risen and crossed the room. He let an MLJ warrant squad in to arrest Jean. She slipped out of her chair as they cuffed her. She was incoherent as they took her away, her mind and spirit broken.

"I meant it," Ray advised the JLU, "I can't do this anymore. Jean killed the Atom as surely as she massacred the island of Corto Maltese."

"Where will they take her?" Hula Hula asked.

"For a full psychiatric assessment. Afterwards she'll be a security risk because of her associations with us," Trevor stated.

"Just say it," Shayera demanded, "She's going to Arkham."

"Probably," Trevor grimly agreed.

* * *

President McKay persuaded the Secretary-General that the Justice League might be amenable to working for the United Nations again. So he made the offer and they considered the idea. But they didn't make an immediate decision.

* * *

Inside Liberty Station. Gen. Jack Latham was retaining the Justice League Unlimited as MLJ agents, "I have to hand it to your people, Colonel. Their willingness to jump straight back into the fire is commendable."

"There are certain conditions to rejoining the United Nations this time," Trevor told him, "But the UN seems ready to jump through any hoops necessary to get the team, back on board. Particularly administrating the team through the MLJ and appropriately funding those efforts. The UN will appoint a delegate to oversee and direct the JLU's efforts under your command."

"I imagine that Max Lord and the Justice League Task Force will be a sticky wicket," Latham remarked.

"Lord and his cronies deemed it necessary to go to work for the DoD here in the States and through the US military to serve at the United Nations Security Council's behest," Trevor told him, "Imagine our shock and surprise if they end up working with Sam Lane."

"With Lane? Everyone works for Lane," Latham clarified.

"Lord won't," Trevor advised him, "And he might not have to given what L-Ron let slip to Killer Frost."

* * *

The Young All Stars gathered together for the first time in Queens. Vibe and Gypsy were reunited with Reverb and Echo just as Claire had promised. But other teenage and post-adolescent adults included Iron Munro, Fury, Tsunami, Flying Fox, and Dyna-Mite. The idea was to private security on a contractual basis against meta-human threats.

Claire was hearing rumors Luthor Corp was creating a new Infinity Inc. and a new Team Luthor. So Claire doubted Lena Luthor would provide security to rival corporations. Leaving the field open to the Young All Stars. Picking up where the Conglomerate left off.

* * *

The People's Greatest Heroes not only included Lady Flash and Firestorm but also the new Red Star, Negative Man, Black Eagle, and Vostok-X. Valentina Vostok wondered what the supposed connection between her and Vostok-X was. And the Red Star replacement was a mystery as well. Lady Flash just looked grateful to be welcomed home in Moscow again.

* * *

Clark and Barda walked in a park within Metropolis. He was just happy life had improved. And he wondered if his relationship would die stillborn before it could thrive. He had hopes but Barda's background was so different from his. But her ugly pragmatism brought a necessary edge of reality to his idealism. Hopefully they would grow to compliment each other. But if not, he had considered leaving Earth to join Maxima. Or even bringing her back to Earth with him. There were always possibilities.

* * *

John finally got the door closed past the throng of well wishers and Shayera was just grateful to be home at last. John remarked, "Nice to see we aren't pariahs. But I don't know how we'll attend all the dinners and lunches we promised to."

"It's not about attending. It's about being gracious. Most of these people are scared stiff we might actually show up," Shayera advised him.

"Pregnancy must be getting to you," John commented, "When did you ever care about politeness?"

"When I accepted your marriage proposal," Shayera quipped.

"See? Just plain ol' mean and nasty," John quipped.

"Look Lantern, either shut up and impregnate me again or go scrounge dinner from some hapless neighbor," Shayera retorted.

"You're already pregnant," John reminded her.

"I'm not human. How do you know if I can't experience multiple, yet separate, pregnancies?" Shayera asked.

"Can you?" John inquired.

"No! But that's not the point," she threw her hands up, "It's about practicing to make it count after I give birth."

"Well, this is cause to celebrate," John grinned.

"Me even wanting to bed you should be cause enough," Shayera said imperiously.

"Your wish is my command," John bridal carried her upstairs.

"If only," she theatrically sighed.

* * *

Ray was heartbroken to watch Jean being inducted into her cell in Arkham. Being small enough he entered the cell unobserved. She conducted conversations with him and Luthor both. Sometimes confusing the two of them into one gestalt being. Ray decided Jean really did belong there. He also vowed it would be the last time he wore the Atom suit.

* * *

Jaina Hudson and White Rabbit attended a meeting with Knightfall. Now exposed as Charise Carnes. But she'd marveled as the White Rabbit was "born'".

"So that's the secret," Charise was still astounded.

"And now you're part of the inner circle," Jaina confided.

"I hear Batman is too," Charise mentioned.

"We're not here to discuss Batsy," White Rabbit giggled.

At this point everyone wanted to secure their secrets. And they wanted to achieve mutual cooperation. All while giving little autonomy away.

"So why are you here?" Charise asked the pair as they met in Charise's Three Towers penthouse.

"We've been impressed with your outcomes here in Gotham and would like to help enfranchise your working model and export it to other cities," Jaina explained, "Beginning with Metropolis, New York City, and Coral City."

"Coral City might actually be a lost cause," Charise remarked.

* * *

Ivana Baiul convinced Max to direct the Justice League Task Force's efforts into capturing Gen13 subjects loose in Coral City. Ivana was trying to persuade Candace Zither and Arvell Hauser to do the same realignment of allegiances not that Luthor was captured. Clarissa Clemens already had.

* * *

Jason Todd brought the Outlaws to Summit. Close enough to Denver to easily catch flights out of state and yet off the road enough to go unnoticed. But visits by the Mighty Crusaders had increased the city's visibility in the public eye. Jason didn't care as long as the Mighty Crusaders stayed out of his way.

"The suburbs," Rose Wilson-Worth complained.

"No one will look for us here," Jason replied.

"There's a reason," Rose said disdainfully.

"It's a good hiding place," Mia decided, "Good call, Jason."

Rose rolled her eye before Conner Hawke complained, "Wasn't there anything more urban available?"

"Our lair is in downtown Summit beneath a nightclub," Beryl Hutchinson revealed.

"Somebody actually read the briefing material," Jason was amazed.

"It's conspicuous," Conner griped.

"Let's check it out now," Rose enthused.

"I'm just sorry I can't access Queen Consolidated assets anymore," Mia lamented.

"Anyway, there are four bedrooms. And if we're holding one for Emiko that either means Mia beds with her or with Conner," Jason warned.

Conner gave her a quizzical look. Mia relented, "We'll talk about it."

"Why did Nyssa release all of this to us?" Beryl had to wonder. Nyssa Raatko, the Demon's Hand, was rarely so generous.

"The League retired operations sites here in Summit. It was a political deal. She didn't go into it," Jason explained, "But Dinah actually signed off on it."

"It seems we're down but hardly out," Rose smirked.

"No matter what the Birds of Prey threaten," Mia promised.

* * *

Shyla Kor-Onn studied the deserts of Dubai and the great cities beyond. A boom tube opened in the sky above and Brutaal emerged from it.

"Are you a Kryptonian?" she asked in her mother tongue.

"Close enough," Brutaal answered in his thick Daxamite dialect.

"Why are you here?" Shyla had to ask.

"To offer you a chance to join Darkseid's Elite and rule amongst the New Gods," Brutaal answered.

Luthor had described Darkseid and his minions to her. She knew they could be beaten and humbled. A task she felt worthy of, "Take me to your Master."

"Follow me," Brutaal reopened the boom tune and they both flew through it straight to Apokolips.

* * *

An Almeracian scout ship delivered Power Girl to Zamaron. She had mixed feeling s about returning. But Kalea gladly met with her. Their reunion was subdued as Kalea-El described the opposition.

"We face Saturn Queen, this Emerald Empress and her Emerald Acolytes, as well as Ultraman and Ultragirl leading the Kandorian armies. Then we have to include the Dominators and the Khunds and their respective invasion forces. And last but hardly least a religious empire called the Dark Circle. They're probably the most dangerous of all," Kalea described the forces arrayed against them.

"Why don't you ever ask me to vacation on a tropical island?" Power Girl asked ruefully.

"I wish I could but these have been dark times for Almerac. We thought we were saved from the Gordanians only to have the galaxy unite against us," Kalea frowned.

"So how do we begin?" Power Girl asked.

"By knocking a dozen Lantern skulls together," Kalea grimaced.

* * *

 **Afterthought**

 **As you can see, Justice League Realms: DCAU Series Part 26 will start with things already rolling. And to be fair, it will be the last combined Lantern Corps story in this series. I may resurrect the Lantern Corps in the Justice League Beyond series because we know the Green Lantern Corps is still active.**

 **But for the duration the Lanterns will be less front and center through the close of Part 32. And the relevance of Darkseid's recruiting effort will bear fruition in Justice League Rebellion: DCAU Series Part 27 which will take place mainly on Apokolips and see the return of Wally West.**

 **Now, I know I cleared the decks in a major way in Parts 23 & 24 to seemingly fill them up again. Not to spoil any major theme but as the series grinds down to conclusion, the Justice League will reshape itself. Because at the end of the Near-Apocalypse of 2009 (Part 32) the JLU will be in its transitional phase between the Justice League we're familiar with to the Justice Beyond featured in Batman Beyond. Call it the precursor whereby only Superman, Barda, and Static still remain of the older team. And yes, despite his absence in this story, Static will be appearing soon and very soon. **


End file.
